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Appendix XII Privately Manufactured Prototype Percussion Rifle Muskets As previously noted, the Union Army increased in size by several hundred thousand men in the spring and summer of 1861. There simply were not enough muskets and rifle muskets to arm those in the regular Army and the volunteers . Therefore, the Army allowed many volunteers to bring their personal weapons with them into military service. Volunteer companies were allowed to use any arm they desired as long as all of the arms in a given company were of a given quality level. The three shoulder arms in this section were made by Pennsylvania gun-makers, and may have been fabricated as prototypes or samples of arms to be made for one or more companies of volunteers. Although it is likely they were made as prototypes or samples, the three rifle muskets shown here have been described by other authors in the field as U.S. military shoulder arms, and are generally accepted as such. These are the rifle muskets made by A. F. Lins and G. S. Schalk. One prototype rifle musket is known to have been made by Abraham Peterman. A. F. Lins also made a single prototype; Schalk is known to have made two prototype rifle muskets. Both of the Schalk rifle muskets have survived, as well as the single examples of the Peterman and Lins rifle muskets. Lins Rifle Musket It is believed that A. Frederick Lins of Philadelphia fabricated only a handful of rifle muskets, possibly as prototypes or as samples for commercial sale to private militia units or arms merchants, in 1861 or early 1862. General Information Caliber: .58 Overall Length: 551 /2" Finish: All metal bright Brass Components: None Production Period: Estimated to be in 1861 or early 1862 Quantity Procured: Estimated to be fewer than five XII.2–1 The .58 caliber A. Frederick Lins rifle musket resembles a regulation Model 1842 musket. It is equipped with Model 1861 style barrel bands and a long-range rear sight. Appendix XII 568 Barrel Length: 39" Contour: Octagonal at the breech for 2", then round, tapering in decreasing diameter to the convex-crowned muzzle Muzzle Extension: 31 /16" Nipple Bolster: The lower profile is straight. The inclined rear profile becomes vertical about halfway up the flash shield. The flat outer surface does not have a cleanout screw, and is flush with the lockplate’s surface. Breech Tang: The 21 /8" by 9 /16" tang is round-ended. Sights: Rear Sight: A tangent leaf long-range-type sight is located 6" forward of the breech. The right side of the base is graduated from 100 to 400 yards, and the right branch of the leaf is graduated from 500 to 800 yards. The “V” notch at the extreme end of the leaf is marked “9” for 900 yards. There is also a “V” notch at the top of the end for use in the horizontal and inclined leaf positions, and a “V” notch in the slide, which is not equipped with a friction retainer. Front Sight: This is similar to the regulation rifle musket sight. The iron blade is integral with the .260" by .368" rectangular base, and is located 11 /4" from the muzzle. Bore: Rifled with seven narrow grooves, and a land-to-groove diameter of .585" Lock Note: The external flintlock parts of this Model 1816 musket lock were removed and the screw and pinholes filled. The plate was resurfaced, which removed these inserts to flush, and removed the arsenal marking behind the hammer, but left the spread eagle over “US” in front of the hammer. The rear profile of the plate was also rounded. Lockplate: The 67 /16" by 15 /16" plate is convex-surfaced behind the hammer, and is flat with beveled edges forward of the hammer. Hammer: The 33 /8" convex-surfaced hammer is similar to that used on the Model 1842 musket, and its straight thumbpiece is coarsely checkered. Internal Parts: These are Model 1816 musket components. The tumbler has notches for full- and half-cock. Mountings Trigger and Guard Assembly: The iron trigger is suspended from a lateral screw across a split lug integral with the 8" by 9 /16" round-ended trigger plate. The 15 /16"-wide guard bow is secured to this plate by slotted spanner nuts. The rear of the plate is secured by a convex-headed wood screw at the rear...

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