US Civil War, 1863 Parker & Snow Springfield Pattern Rifle, Miller Conversion
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $1150.00

Original period manufacture. This is a very clean example of a post Civil War modification of an 1863 dated, 1861 Springfield pattern rifle, 58 caliber, made by Parker & Snow of Meriden Ct. Bright finished barrel and other metal fittings, with a two position lock which holds on the half-cock. The bore is bright with plenty of original rifling remaining. The Miller pattern breech lock mechanism works properly, although is sometimes a bit cranky on the first attempt to close, a quick fiddle with the tiny sliding arm on the bottom, and it locks up nice and tight. The stock is in very sound condition, with a nice luster to the wood surface. There is a thin crack on the reverse side, running from the upper lock plate screw towards the top of the wood. Flayderman states that around 2,000 examples were converted in 1865-1867, by Parker & Snow. While never adopted by the US Army, they nonetheless represent one of the early attempts to provide a breech loading rifle for the army.