Author Topic: Springfield Armory Model 1816 Type III Flintlock Musket  (Read 1429 times)

Offline WESTbury

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Springfield Armory Model 1816 Type III Flintlock Musket
« on: September 27, 2020, 01:57:05 PM »
Model 1816 Flintlock Muskets made in the years 1832 through 1840 were classified as First Class Arms and held at the various Arsenals and both National Armories, Springfield and Harpers Ferry. These muskets were to be issued only upon direction of the Ordnance Dept. Some were indeed issued during the Mexican War as M1816 Flintlock Muskets were used to fight that war, not the Model 1842 Percussion Musket. Springfield Armory had produced 113,600 Model 1816 muskets, 1832 through 1840. Of that number, 86,565 were converted to percussion in the 1850-1853 period. More may have been altered in succeeding years to the Maynard tape priming system in 1857-1858.

Type III Springfield M1816 muskets in their original flintlock condition are very rare. There are five in the Springfield Armory Collection. I know of less than a dozen in private collections. Those that have survived show signs of being issued. In the antique gun market there are a great many reconverted examples. Some are good recons others are laughable.

The 1833 dated musket pictured below is in original flintlock condition and was issued. It has a rack number on the barrel to the rear of the proof and viewing stamps. There are three other 1833 dated Springfield M1816 Flintlock Muskets having a two digit rack number stamped in the same area of the barrel using the same size and font numbers. All of those muskets are in their original condition.












"We are not about to send American Boys 9 to 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian Boys ought to be doing for themselves."
President Lyndon B. Johnson October 21, 1964

Offline WESTbury

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HEADS-UP--Re: Springfield Armory Model 1816 Type III Flintlock Musket
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2020, 06:21:20 PM »
Presently, there a few Type III Springfield  M1816 muskets for sale on Gunbroker that have significant anomalies, illustrating some of the points I made in the original post. Be careful.

For more detailed info and many more photos see my articles in Man at Arms Magazine Vol 42, No. 4 and Arms Heritage Magazine April 2018. Also, pages 68-100 and 109-131 of my book Springfield Armory Infantry Muskets 1794-1844.
« Last Edit: October 01, 2020, 02:57:34 AM by WESTbury »
"We are not about to send American Boys 9 to 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian Boys ought to be doing for themselves."
President Lyndon B. Johnson October 21, 1964