Flawless!


  Note the tight fit of the lock and the crisp edges of the stock


  No burnout or pitting at breech


  Not a blemish


  Not a blemish


  Note the tight fit and the heavy patina on the brass butt plate



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  Original band with Richmond "U"



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  Original band and swivel with the Richmond "U"


  Note the heavy patina on the brass nose cap and the original Richmond made ramrod


  Not a blemish

The Virginia's state forces captured Harper’s Ferry on April 18, 1861. The captured stores and machinery were quickly removed to Richmond and set up in the old Virginia Armory. In late August 1861, the Confederate States Government took over the facility and it was thereafter known as the "Richmond Armory.”

Those who do not collect Richmond long arms have no idea how rare it is to find an example that is an original, complete Richmond Armory product. I estimate that I examine nearly a hundred Richmond long arms in order to find one that is truly original, and even at that, I am excepting the ramrod. (this one is original) The reason for this is two fold. The first is that the Confederates salvaged everything that they could by gleaning the battlefields and reused the parts. The other reason is that all through the years, collectors and dealers, some innocently and some not, have replaced missing or damaged parts with U.S. parts. Every day, rifle-muskets are being sold as "Richmond Armory” products, and at prices that reflect the rarity of the Richmond made rifle-muskets. Some of the sellers know that what they are selling is not a true "Richmond,” (as one prominent dealer told me, "they are just going to hang it on a wall, what difference does it make?”) but most really cannot tell the difference; they do not have the expertise to tell an amalgamation of parts from a factory made Richmond Armory product. The collector is trusting in the knowledge of the dealer which is often severely lacking, and what is worse, sometimes the dealer does know, but does not care as long as he makes the sale. It is very used car-ish. The collector may own the gun for years or even decades, all the while enjoying its supposed history, but when he attempts to sell it, he runs into problems. If the buyer he takes it to is knowledgeable, he will have to inform him that what he thought was worth 17k is only worth 7k; quite a difference and let down. If he takes it to an unknowledgeable dealer to sell, that dealer will in turn have to take it to a knowledgeable dealer to find out what is original from Richmond and what is not, or buy it for the 7k assuming the worst from the first (and he will usually be right). Protect your investment, take great care in buying a Richmond arm and be certain that the person you are buying it from knows his business. That said, I have checked this example out and it is one hundred percent Richmond-even the ramrod. But, if you do not know me personally or by reputation, I have provided all the detailed pictures necessary to determine for yourself if the weapon is all Richmond. So have a look at what a real 100% Richmond Armory rifle-musket looks like!

The 1863 dated C.S. Richmond rifle-musket shown here is a text-book example of a one hundred percent Richmond Armory rifle-musket. Every screw, sling swivels, barrel bands, sight, butt plate, stock, lock and barrel, even the ramrod is original. The gun has never been cleaned or altered in any way. It has no repairs or replacements whatsoever. The metal is exceptionally smooth. The rifling remains strong, though the bore is dirty. The screws appear to have never been turned since they were originally installed at the Richmond Armory. The stock is virtual perfection, perhaps the best example of a Richmond stock I have ever had. The gun was the very best that longtime collector Ben Michele was able to purchase in over fifty years of collecting! The weapon has seen very little service; it must have been captured very soon after it was issued. If you only want one, and the very best, this is it!

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