m1817 Common Rifle Reconversion to Flintlock
Developed as a .54 rifle, the m1817 was an unusual designed rifle when the m1816 musket was the mainstay of the United States infantry. Derringer, Starr, North, and Johnsons ended up producing just over 38,000 rifles for a roughly 23 year span of production. With it's graceful design, the Common Rifle was a prime example to convert to percussion by State and Federal arsenals before and during the war because of its rifled barrel. Using a variety of methods for alteration, this one was a drum bolster conversion. During a process of conversion, the drum bolster was sliced off, and a flintlock hammer reinstalled with frizzen and pan.
This piece remains today in its intended role of a flintlock, to which it has a variety of uses. In flintlock form, it saw possible use at the Alamo by the New Orleans' Greys, or as an unconverted early war weapon for CS use. To a trained gunsmith, this could even be converted back to a drum bolster, and a hand forged hammer reinstalled to create a Confederate cottage-industry altered rifle. Either way, a bayonet is not needed as they were never intended to be issued to with one.
$925 shipped -SOLD