Springfield Model 1842
The Springfield Model 1842 was a .69 caliber musket manufactured and used in the United States during the mid-19th century. It is a continuation of the Springfield Model 1816 line of muskets but is generally referred to as its own model number rather than just a variant of the Model 1816. The Model 1842 was the last U.S. smoothbore musket. Many features that had been retrofitted into the Springfield Model 1840 were standard on the Model 1842. The Model 1842 was the first primary U.S. musket to be produced with a percussion lock; however, most of the Model 1840 flintlocks ended up being converted to percussion locks before reaching the field as the percussion cap system was vastly superior to the flintlock being much more reliable and weather resistant. Like all Model 1816 derivatives, the Model 1842 has a .69 caliber smoothbore barrel that was 42 inches (110 cm) in length. The Model 1842 had an overall length of 58 inches (150 cm) and a weight of 10 pounds (4.5 kg). A musketoon variant, designated the Springfield Model 1847, was also produced. A great emphasis was placed on manufacturing processes for the Model 1842. It was the first small arm produced in the U.S. with fully interchangeable (machine-made) parts. Approximately 275,000 Model 1842 muskets were manufactured at the Springfield and Harpers Ferry armories between 1842 and 1855. Model 1842 muskets were also made by independent contractors. However, these were few in number. Some were made by A.H. Waters and B. Flagg & Co., both of Millbury, Massachusetts. These were distinguished by having brass furniture instead of iron. A.H. Waters went out of business due to a lack of contracts in New England, and Flagg entered into a partnership with William Glaze of South Carolina. They relocated the machinery to the Palmetto Armory in Columbia, South Carolina. Instead of "V" over "P" over the eagle's head, these guns were usually stamped "P" over "V" over the palmetto tree. Most of the output of the Palmetto Armory went to the state militia of South Carolina. There were only 6,020 Model 1842 type muskets produced on that contract and none were made there after 1853. Like the earlier Model 1840, the Model 1842 was produced with an intentionally thicker barrel than necessary, with the assumption that it would likely be rifled later. As the designers anticipated, many of the Model 1842 muskets had their barrels rifled later so that they could fire the newly developed Minié ball. While older converted muskets could not withstand the increased breech pressure generated by the new expanding projectile, the Model 1842 performed well. Tests conducted by the U.S. Army showed that the .69 caliber musket was not as accurate as the smaller bore rifled muskets. Also, the Minié ball, being conical and longer than it was broad, had much more mass than a round ball of the same caliber. A smaller caliber Minié ball could be used to provide as much mass on target as the larger .69 caliber round ball. For these reasons, the Model 1842 was the last .69 caliber musket. The Army later standardized on the .58 caliber Minié ball, as used in the Springfield Model 1855, Springfield Model 1861, and Springfield Model 1863. Both the original smoothbore version and the modified rifled version of the Model 1842 were used in the American Civil War. The smoothbore version was produced without sights (except for a cast one on the barrel band). When Model 1842 muskets were modified to have rifled barrels, sights were usually added at the same time as the rifling. The Model 1842 musket was effectively used during the American Civil War. Afterwards it was sold as surplus abroad to other countries such as China, Japan during the Boshin War, and Mexico during the 1870s as well as traveling west to the American frontier.
| Springfield Model 1842 | |
|---|---|
 Springfield Model 1842 Musket | |
| Type | Musket |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1844–1865 |
| Used by | United States Confederate States Tokugawa Shogunate[1] China[1] Mexico[1] |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1842 |
| Manufacturer | Springfield Armory Harpers Ferry Armory A.H. Waters B. Flagg & Co. Palmetto Armory |
| Produced | 1844–1855 |
| No. built | 275,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9.8 lbs (4.45 kg) |
| Length | 58 in (1,473 mm) |
| Barrel length | 42 in (1,067 mm) |
| Cartridge | Paper cartridge, buck and ball/musket ball/Minié ball[2] (rifled conversion) undersized (.65/16,510 mm) to reduce the effects of powder fouling |
| Caliber | .69 in (17.526 mm) |
| Action | Percussion lock |
| Rate of fire | User dependent; usually 2 to 3 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,000 ft/s (300 m/s) to 1,400 ft/s (430 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 50 to 100 yd (46 to 91 m) (smoothbore)[3] 200 to 400 yd (180 to 370 m) (rifled)[3] |
| Maximum firing range | 150 to 300 yd (140 to 270 m) (smoothbore)[3] 800 to 1,000 yd (730 to 910 m) (rifled)[3] |
| Feed system | Muzzle-loaded |
| Sights | A front sight cast into the upper barrel band, rear sight (rifled conversion) |
The Springfield Model 1842 was a .69 caliber musket manufactured and used in the United States during the mid-19th century. It is a continuation of the Springfield Model 1816 line of muskets but is generally referred to as its own model number rather than just a variant of the Model 1816.[2]
The Model 1842 was the last U.S. smoothbore musket. Many features that had been retrofitted into the Springfield Model 1840 were standard on the Model 1842. The Model 1842 was the first primary U.S. musket to be produced with a percussion lock; however, most of the Model 1840 flintlocks ended up being converted to percussion locks before reaching the field as the percussion cap system was vastly superior to the flintlock being much more reliable and weather resistant.[2]
Like all Model 1816 derivatives, the Model 1842 has a .69 caliber smoothbore barrel that was 42 inches (110 cm) in length. The Model 1842 had an overall length of 58 inches (150 cm) and a weight of 10 pounds (4.5 kg).[2]
A musketoon variant, designated the Springfield Model 1847, was also produced.[2]
A great emphasis was placed on manufacturing processes for the Model 1842. It was the first small arm produced in the U.S. with fully interchangeable (machine-made) parts. Approximately 275,000 Model 1842 muskets were manufactured at the Springfield and Harpers Ferry armories between 1842 and 1855.[4]
Model 1842 muskets were also made by independent contractors. However, these were few in number. Some were made by A.H. Waters and B. Flagg & Co., both of Millbury, Massachusetts. These were distinguished by having brass furniture instead of iron. A.H. Waters went out of business due to a lack of contracts in New England, and Flagg entered into a partnership with William Glaze of South Carolina. They relocated the machinery to the Palmetto Armory in Columbia, South Carolina. Instead of "V" over "P" over the eagle's head, these guns were usually stamped "P" over "V" over the palmetto tree. Most of the output of the Palmetto Armory went to the state militia of South Carolina. There were only 6,020 Model 1842 type muskets produced on that contract and none were made there after 1853.[2]
Like the earlier Model 1840, the Model 1842 was produced with an intentionally thicker barrel than necessary, with the assumption that it would likely be rifled later. As the designers anticipated, many of the Model 1842 muskets had their barrels rifled later so that they could fire the newly developed Minié ball. While older converted muskets could not withstand the increased breech pressure generated by the new expanding projectile, the Model 1842 performed well.[2]
Tests conducted by the U.S. Army showed that the .69 caliber musket was not as accurate as the smaller bore rifled muskets. Also, the Minié ball, being conical and longer than it was broad, had much more mass than a round ball of the same caliber. A smaller caliber Minié ball could be used to provide as much mass on target as the larger .69 caliber round ball. For these reasons, the Model 1842 was the last .69 caliber musket. The Army later standardized on the .58 caliber Minié ball, as used in the Springfield Model 1855, Springfield Model 1861, and Springfield Model 1863.[2]
Both the original smoothbore version and the modified rifled version of the Model 1842 were used in the American Civil War. The smoothbore version was produced without sights (except for a cast one on the barrel band). When Model 1842 muskets were modified to have rifled barrels, sights were usually added at the same time as the rifling.[5]
The Model 1842 musket was effectively used during the American Civil War.[6] Afterwards it was sold as surplus abroad to other countries such as China, Japan during the Boshin War, and Mexico during the 1870s as well as traveling west to the American frontier.[1]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "The Springfield Model 1842 Smoothbore Musket Saw Use On Both Sides Of The Civil War Before Traveling West". HISTORYNET. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h "Guns on the Early Frontiers" by Carl P. Russell, Published by U of Nebraska Press, 1980
- ^ a b c d Stanage, Justin (2000). "The Rifle-Musket vs. The Smoothbore Musket, a Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Two Types of Weapons Primarily at Short Ranges". IU South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal. 3: 84–89.
- ^ Bilby, Joe (March 13, 2006). "U.S. Model 1842 Musket". Civil War Times.
- ^ "Civil War Weapons and Equipment" by Russ A. Pritchard, Jr., Russ A. Pritchard Jr., Published by Globe Pequot, 2003
- ^ "U.S. Springfield Model 1842 Percussion Musket". NRA Museums. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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