Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Potts and Hunt
Item #: WR1498
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This is a Pattern 1853 Enfield type III rifle musket from the American Civil War. The overall length of this weapon is 54", with a barrel length of 39". This particular gun was manufactured by the London firm of Potts & Hunt. The exterior of the barrel is smooth, with moderate pitting at the bolster and breech area. The surface of the barrel shows a dark, aged patina. The bore of the barrel is dark with heavy patches of rust and debris scattered along the entire length of the barrel. There is no visible rifling. The left side of the barrel is stamped with the usual three London commercial proof, view and definitive proof marks, but no number to indicate caliber. The bottom of the barrel is stamped with two sets of initials, J.W and B.R, and the name John Clive. There is also the number 25 stamped just forward of the breech plug, possibly to indicate .577 caliber. This old long gun did some shooting in it's time, as a bore gage now shows it at .65 caliber. The original front sight is still present, as is the rear sight base. The the graduated "ladder" part of the sight appears to be a replacement. The lockplate is stamped in two lines POTTS & HUNT/LONDON. There is no crown to the rear of the hammer, as this gun was made for the commercial market and not the British military. The lock is also missing the usual double boarder lines engraved around the perimeter. The mechanics of the lock function normally, the hammer holds at half cock and full cock. The patina of the lock matches that "attic black look of the barrel and bands. The front sling swivel is missing, but the rear one is still reporting for duty. The ramrod is present, and is numbered 765. The nose cap, trigger guard and butt plate are brass and have a medium chocolate patina. The stock is in good condition, having no major stress cracks or wood loss. It has a nice overall medium brown walnut look. The barrel and ramrod channels are still pretty crisp and sharp. There is a faint cartouche on the stock, just forward of the butt plate tang screw, a script TH within an oval. This is identified in the book "The English Connection" as a confederate viewer's mark. The same can be said of the Clive mark on the barrel, they were known to be associated with confederate imported weapons. This confederate inspected Pattern 1853 Enfield by Potts and Hunt is a good example of an untouched commercial made Enfield that made it's way into the American Civil War.
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