Springfield Armory U.S. Model 1840 Flintlock Musket

[WESTbury]

The first U.S. Model 1840 Flintlock Muskets were produced at Springfield Armory in 1840 and the last were produced in 1844. A total of 30,421 were manufactured at Springfield Armory, while none were made at Harpers Ferry other than the twenty four 1835 dated Model Muskets.

At least 26,841 were altered to percussion at Springfield in 1851. It is documented that 1,000 M1840 Flintlock Muskets were issued to Pennsylvania in 1849 and 1,112 in 1851. In 1851, 87 were issued to New Hampshire. Only the muskets issued to New Hampshire have been identified thanks to the "NH" stamps on the left flat of the barrel at the breech. Of the 2,199 M1840 issued, currently only 19 are known in their original flintlock configuration with three in the Springfield Armory NHS Collection. Of the balance, all but two are marked "NH" on the left barrel flat.

There are a great many reconverted examples in collections and for sale on Gunbroker and Guns International.

For much more detailed info and more photos, see pages 101 through 108 of my book and my article in Man at Arms Magazine Vol 42 # 4 Aug 2020 and Arms Heritage Magazine April 2018.

[WESTbury]

Below are photos of additional New Hampshire marked Model 1840 Springfield muskets. All of these muskets are in their original flintlock configuration.

[Clark Badgett]

I guess NH never turned theirs in for conversion.

[WESTbury]

A friend of mine, who was raised in New Hampshire, went on a high school field trip to the New Hampshire State Armory in Manchester. In one area of the building there was a room with many long arms in racks. He saw many old firearms in those racks, some of which were flintlocks. Naturally, he had no idea at the time what type of flintlocks they were.

That particular armory building was built in 1906 so what was present obviously had been brought from another facility.

Like this fellow told me: "Take it for what it is worth."

[WESTbury]

Here are some photos of a M1840 altered to percussion in 1851 at Springfield. It is a rare 1840 dated musket, one of only 967 M1840 flintlock muskets produced at Springfield in 1840.

Up next, The U.S. Model 1822 Flintlock Musket.