Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle
Harpers Ferry Armory · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1841
Also known as: U.S. Model 1841 Rifle, Mississippi Rifle, Yager, Jager Rifle
Overview
The U.S. Model 1841 rifle, famously nicknamed the 'Mississippi Rifle' after Jefferson Davis's Mississippi regiment used it to great effect at the Battle of Buena Vista, was the first standard U.S. percussion-lock rifle. A .54 caliber muzzle-loader with seven-groove rifling and elegant brass furniture, it was widely regarded as the best-looking American ordnance arm of its era. Originally issued without a bayonet, many were later rebored to .58 caliber to accept the Minie ball.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4420 g (155.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1232 mm (48.50") |
| Barrel Length | 838 mm (32.99") |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .54 Ball · primary — also known as .54 caliber, 13.7mm patched round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Percussion Cap Ignition, Muzzle Loading, Brass Furniture, Patchbox, No Bayonet Lug Original
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1841 · as Model 1841
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1861
Conflicts
- Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 100,000 · Production years: 1846-1855
Roughly 25,000 made at Harpers Ferry plus ~75,000 by government contractors; many later rebored to .58 caliber
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Discontinued: 1855
Notes
Federally produced at Harpers Ferry from 1846-1855; about 75,000 more were built under government contract by Remington, Robbins & Lawrence, Eli Whitney, Tryon, and the Palmetto Armory.
Background
The rifle earned its 'Mississippi' name when Colonel Jefferson Davis - later President of the Confederacy - armed his 1st Mississippi Rifles with it at the 1847 Battle of Buena Vista, where their accurate fire helped repel a much larger Mexican force.