This Enfield (three band) Rifle Musket started out as a standard reproduction imported from Italy. The problem with these P-1853 Enfields is not that they are poor reproductions, quite the opposite; they are excellent copies of the very last Pattern 1853's. What might be best described as the Fourth Pattern or pattern of 1865 the very last muzzle loading military firearm made by the British Small Arms Industry.
This fourth pattern was the most advanced and interchangeable small arms weapon made in England. It was only natural that the Snider Breech Loading System used this firearm much in the same manor as the M-1864 Springfield's were used to build the U. S. first breech loading firearm the Allen Conversion better known as the "Trapdoor Springfield Model 1865". The truth is that these Reproduction Enfields are of a pattern that is too late to have seen much of any service during the American Civil War.
 |
Top Row; Fourth Pattern barrel bands are examples of the bands used on all modern reproduction Enfields. Bottom Row; Third Pattern barrel bands. These are examples of the type of bands most commonly found on Civil War period Enfields. What makes these new repro Enfields most unauthentic is the use of these late pattern barrel bands. There are a few other things that should be changed but for the most part it's the barrel bands. |
The unique features of the Second Pattern Enfield are it use of solid (not screw clamping) oval barrel bands that are held in place by the use of band spring. The bottom two bands are ½ " wide while the front band is a little less than ¾" wide (.700). The earliest version of this pattern Enfield uses a button headed ramrod (latter changing to the cleaning jig head) with a swell shank (the swell retaining the ramrod to the stock) similar to the 1861 Springfield. The band springs are 1 ¾" long instead of the 2" found on American made firearms.
The next greatest discrepancy concerning the repro Enfield is that the gunstocks are greatly oversized. Making the shape and feel of the stock more like that of a railroad tie than the thin and finely finished English made weapons they are suppose to copy.
Top: Out of the box "new" Enfield Rifle Musket before any changes have been made.
Bottom; Enfield Rifle Musket after the stock has been extensively reworked, bringing out the contours and profile of the original Enfields.
This Enfield Rifle Musket is the same out of the box "new" gun pictured in the previous photo after the stock is re finished
Notes; Stocks can always be reworked without incorporating any other parts changes. Check on availability of some parts to complete other conversions.
| Contact web designer at tws@shentel.net | COPYRIGHT July 2005 * ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
|