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Springfield Model 1861


Rifled Musket


United States | 1861



"The .58 Caliber Springfield Model 1861 musket was the first long gun to feature iron sights as standard."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Springfield Model 1861. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
850 ft
259.1 m | 283.3 yds
Max.Eff.Range
3
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
Physical
The physical qualities of the Springfield Model 1861. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
1,422 mm
55.98 in
O/A Length
9.63 lb
4.37 kg
Weight
Percussion Lock
Action
.58 Minie Ball
Caliber(s)
1
Feed
Folding Leaf Iron Sights.
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Springfield Model 1861 Rifled Musket family line.
.58 Caliber Springfield - Base Series Designation
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/21/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

At the beginning of the American Civil War, both the North and the South relied heavily on imported Enfield rifles from Britain. It was not until the North adopted the .58 Caliber Springfield musket that the common infantryman would evolve into a shaped marksman and effectively turn the tide of any battle. Some 700,000 Model 1861 rifled muskets were produced and the type served as the standard musket of the entire war.

The Springfield musket was a muzzle-loading .58 caliber weapon, muzzle-loading in that the propellant and the round (a .58 caliber "Minie Ball" shot) was entered via the muzzle end of the barrel and rammed down by way of a ramrod. The Minie Ball itself, being of French invention, was a potent man stopper. It worked well to break bones at nearly any range and could be lobbed a great distance with a propensity to bounce after landing - sometimes inflicting more damage. The Model 1861 did away with the Maynard primer system action - a major improvement for the weapon.

Ammunition was supplied as a paper cartridge containing both round and propellant. A percussion cap would be issued separately and all three elements were combined in a practiced action before the weapon could be fired. The development of the Springfield Musket (produced by the Springfield Armory among others) greatly increased the accuracy - though not to the extent that today's rifles offer - of the standard marksman. So much so in fact that artillery formations were now required to fire from positions further back to compensate for the rifles increased range.

The musket featured, for the first time in any arms market, static iron sights capable of engaging targets at a distance of 600 yards. The sights consisted of two folding leaves (marked simply with a "3" and "5"). When the weapon was fired with both leaves down, the weapon was set for a base "100-yard" targeting range. With the 3-leaf raised, the weapon was then set for 300-yard targeting. Consequently, with the second leaf raised along with the first, the weapon was ready to target enemy elements upwards of 500 yards. Naturally, the South was not in possession of capabilities for the developing and production of large quantities of new weaponry, thusly they relied on captured or abandoned .58 Caliber Springfield muskets to arm their ranks while still relying on their British Enfields or whatever other arms could be imported from Europe.

Almost immediately after the war, the US military switched from the old muzzle-loading type weapons to the newer breech-loading rifles, signifying the end of muskets as standard frontline firearms in American history.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Springfield Model 1861. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Springfield Armory (among others) - USA
National flag of the Confederate States of America National flag of the United States

[ Confederate States; United States ]
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Image of the Springfield Model 1861
Image from the Public Domain.

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