Interesting "Musket"/Rifle?? marked 1863 Norfolk and what looks like WW Welch ??

[Molly]

Anyone able to offer comments on this?







The lock plate is dated 1863 behind the hammer.  1863 is also on the top of the barrel.  Several govt inspection stamps as well as US in various places.  It looks like an white 1863 Springfield but "Norfolk" and WW Welch.  I'm guessing the designation is that of a station or unit assignment.  There is a numeral "7" on the top of the butt plate.




One search result with this info.

HOWDY, I WANT YOU TO HOLD HISTORY IN YOUR HANDS. THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PIECE WHICH COULD HAVE SURVIVED THE CIVIL WAR. IT IS A 1861 MODEL SPRINGFIELD DATED 1863 AND MARKED U.S. NORFOLK. THIS IS CALLED A CONTRACT SPRINGFIELD. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH IT WAS MADE BY W. W. WELCH IN NORFOLK CONNETICUT IN 1863 AND WAS ONE OF 8000 RIFLES MADE THAT YEAR. ONE OF A TOTAL 17,000 MADE BETWEEN 1861 AND 1863.

[johngross]

In September of 1861, the U S Government contracted with W. W. Welch of Norfolk, Connecticut for 18,000 Model 1861 Rifle-muskets. Some of them were marked such as yours on the stock.

[Seth Isaacson]

Yep, its a Model 1861 contract rifle-musket. The Welch ones almost all have those stock markings. Those that don't may have been restocked or just have had the markings worn down or sanded off. I don't think I've seen one without them though. The hammer and bolster are dead giveaways of a Model 1861. There should be other visible government inspector cartouches on the left stock flat. You can identify the inspectors using this:
http://proofhouse.com/cm/us_inspector.htm

Here are the Model 1861 Contract Numbers:
http://civilwarwiki.net/wiki/Table_of_Contractors_for_the_U.S._Rifle_Musket_Models_1861,_1863,_1864,_Caliber_.58
11/06/1861-W.W. Welch    16,000    Springfield Rifle-Musket
01/12/1864-W.W. Welch    1,000    Springfield Rifle-Musket

Congressional records say he originally promised 18,000.
https://books.google.com/books?id=w3dHAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA133&lpg=RA1-PA133&dq=W.W.+Welch+Model+1861&source=bl&ots=hRoz59F2j9&sig=uiJBPw67Pj-1UjOOyQ6dIHY8jkU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhp6iXq4HVAhUB2oMKHXlpCTgQ6AEIWjAM#v=onepage&q=W.W.%20Welch%20Model%201861&f=false

[John Allen]

Nice Rifle,  it looks pretty clean how is the bore on it? 

[Molly]

I actually do not own it but saw it on an auction website and had the word "Norfolk" associated with VA and not CT.  Since the post I have also read more about them.  Still, it looks like a nice item and the value based on others I have seen offered could go up to the $2200 to $2600 range.