1863 Springfield value?

Ranchero50 · Oct 25, 2019

Where would you value a NJ marked Savage built 1863 Springfield with a nice stock except it has a repaired cracked wrist with no ramrod. It has a Watertown stamped sling and honestly looks to be in very good shape.

Metal was good, almost better than my repop Enfield. The front sight had been painted pink so I assume it was a shooter. I honestly don't know enough to know if it's original.

Shop was asking $1299

I so wanted it but don't want to spend gunbroker prices.

Looked a lot like this one as far as condition goes.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/841313322

Seller said he took it up to Gettysburg but didn't get the offer he was looking for.

Melnic · Oct 25, 2019

That stock looks refinished to me but I admit with only 2 springfields in my collection, I"m still a novice. Wood on my springfields are way darker than that and more "handled". There were people who took parts and threw onto new stocks then shot the guns or sold them that way. There are going to be inspector proof marks on the left of the stock behind lock screws and above the trigger. If they had an original in its stock and knew what they were doing, they would have taken a pic of that and posted it in the add.

Those stamps can be faked even still for reinactor types. Those guys would not try to sell a reproduction as an original though. Not saying the barrel and lock are anything but original but I think something has been done to that stock.
Here are pics of the stamps

http://www.lodgewood.com/M18631864-Springfield_c_202.html

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...gfield-1863-rifle-musket.cfm?gun_id=100932883

Ranchero50 · Oct 25, 2019

Thanks,

That's the thing, it just looked too good to be civil war vintage. I don't remember any car-touches other than a NJ by the wrist. The barrel bands had a U stamp and it just looked too much like a repop to feel comfortable buying it.

Melnic · Oct 25, 2019

Just hold off till some others might chime in. Time to get a Springfield is the collector show in March at Timmonium. Contract rifles will go for around $1500 or so +/-. Springfields will be more.
Condition is everything. I bring an arrow noch light to drop down and look at the bore.
Lots of these had wear on the barrels as the soldiers shined them up with sand over time to comply with the officer's wishes to have them armory bright.
lots of people after the war "improved them" so they thought to refinish the stocks, shine up the barrels and hammers and such.

Ngrovcam · Oct 26, 2019

The Savages are some of the more common contract ‘61’s...important that the barrel match the lock plate as both Savage made...the key is
the design of the eagle’s head proof-mark...
each maker had a distinct design but the
differences are small-sized given the small
size of the proof...requires close magnified
viewing.
If the parts are all Savage and the dates
match, but no original rod, yeah, maybe
1K, given the wood issues you cited, and
assuming decent bore and action, and
complete rear sight.

As Melnic noted, Timonium is a good option...
or a large Civil War show like the one next month in Richmond, or at the fall Gettysburg show that is going on today.

Shop around.

Abulg1972 · Oct 26, 2019

What does “repop” mean?

Threeband · Oct 26, 2019

Abulg1972 said:
What does “repop” mean?

Reproduction

1863 Springfield value?

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