Harpers Ferry Model 1841
Harpers Ferry Armory · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1841
Also known as: Mississippi Rifle, Model 1841 Rifle, U.S. Model 1841 Percussion Rifle, Yager Rifle
Overview
The Harpers Ferry Model 1841 is a single-shot, muzzle-loading percussion rifle chambered for the .54 caliber round ball. Adopted by the United States Army in 1841 and produced at the Harpers Ferry Armory from 1846, it was the U.S. military's first general-issue percussion-cap rifle, featuring a 33-inch rifled barrel with a 1:48 twist, brass furniture, a patch box and an adjustable rear sight. It earned the enduring nickname 'Mississippi Rifle' for its service with Colonel Jefferson Davis's Mississippi volunteer regiment at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War, and saw widespread use on both sides of the American Civil War, many having been rebored to .58 caliber for the Minie ball.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4200 g (148.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1230 mm (48.43") |
| Barrel Length | 840 mm (33.07") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 335 m/s (1099 fps) |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 1219 mm (47.99") |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .54 Caliber Ball · primary — also known as 54 cal round ball, 13.7mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Features: Rifled Barrel, Percussion Lock, Brass Furniture, Leaf Rear Sight, Blade Front Sight, Patch Box, Steel Ramrod, Muzzle Loader
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1841 · as Model 1841
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1861
Conflicts
- Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
- Seminole Wars (1835-1858)
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 25,296 · Production years: 1846-1855
25,296 made at the Harpers Ferry Armory; tens of thousands more produced by contractors such as Whitney, Robbins & Lawrence and Tryon for the US government
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Discontinued: 1861
Notes
Approximately 25,296 were made at Harpers Ferry with tens of thousands more produced by private contractors. Originally .54 caliber; large numbers were later rebored to .58 caliber and fitted for bayonets during the 1850s.
Background
The Model 1841's 'Mississippi Rifle' nickname was won at the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847, where Colonel Jefferson Davis's 1st Mississippi Rifles used it to repel a Mexican cavalry charge; Davis later became President of the Confederacy.