RMINGTON/SPRINGFIELD CONVERSION RIFLE

[MARK MAUSER]

WELL, GENTLEMEN, HOPEFULLY, SOME CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS. I RECENTLY PICKED UP WHAT STARTED AS A " 1816 .69 CAL MUSKET"--WAS LATER CHANGED TO A "MAYNARD TAPE PRIMER PERCUSSION" RIFLE--AND THEN TO REGULAR PERCUSSION RIFLE. THE LOCKPLATE READS " REMINGTON, ILLION. N.Y. 1856 " THE BARREL IS DATED " 1857 " " CITY OF PHILADELPHIA " AND 1857. UNDER THE CITY IS " A. WURFFLEIN ". DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO ANDREW WURFFLEIN IS? OR HIS HISTORY? OR ANY MORE INFO ON THIS RIFLE? THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.

MARK

 

[JohnBT]

"There is an Andrew Wurfflein listed in Small Arms Makers, Gardner, as a maker of percussion derringers & dbl bbl shotguns in Philadelphia, PA 1835-60. Andrew Wurfflein was the father of William, who was the proprietor of the famous W. Wurfflein Gun Company"

- googled up last night right before I fell asleep.

I seem to remember a mention of a contract to convert rifles for the Phil. militia shortly before the War Between the States.

John

 

[Thek9]

Andrew Wurfflien: Light in the loafers dude from Da Bronx (No Joke).

PS Posting in JUST caps in e-mail etiquette is the equivalent of YELLING.

PSS Handsome Firearm.

 

[MARK MAUSER]

HI JOHN,

THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE SUPPLIED. IT'S A START, AT LEAST, FOR ME. THE QUEST FOR TRUTH IN HISTORY IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO SAY THE LEAST. ALL THE BEST.........MARK

 

[Jim K]

This from Flayderman on percussion conversions:

"Maynard conversion by Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia 1856-1859.

Remington Arms Co. completed contract for 20,000 Maynard primer locks and percussion bolsters (JEK NOTE: Not complete guns), supplying all to Frankford Arsenal who then fitted them to various makes Model 1816 (Type II and III) muskets. Frankford also rifled the barrels and fitted long range leaf sights. Lock markings: REMINGTON'S/ILION, N.Y./date/U.S. Dates 1856-58 usual... Total muskets so fitted 20,000, many seeing service in Civil War. 600 delivered to the U.S. Navy 1857, others to the 6th U.S. infantry Ft. Riley, Kansas, 1857, and many to N.Y. state outfits. Two thousand were converted for New Jersey and will bear N.J. markings on the breech and stock."

It is only a thought, but Wurfflein may have rifled the barrels for Frankford or he may have done other work on the gun later after it was out of the service. The hammer is different from that shown by Flayderman, which is a pretty much standard M1855 hammer, while the one on your rifle is either a civilian type or one made for another type of conversion.

Jim

 

[MARK MAUSER]

 

[MARK MAUSER]

HELLO JIM,
THANKS FOR THE ADDED INFORMATION. THESE CONVERSIONS ARE A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO PUT TOGETHER HISTORIES ON. ALSO THANKS FOR YOUR OBSERVATION ON THE HAMMER, NORMALLY, I WOULD HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM THIS TYPE OF PIECE, BUT THE PATINA WAS THE SAME FOR THE ENTIRE GUN, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE ALL PARTS HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT, HOWEVER WITH ALL YOUR HELP THE PICTURE IS STARTING TO COME TO LIFE.
THANKS AGAIN,.........MARK