Springfield Model 1842 Musket
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1844
Also known as: Model 1842, U.S. Model 1842 Percussion Musket
Overview
The Springfield Model 1842 was a .69 caliber smoothbore percussion musket and the first U.S. martial longarm produced from the outset with a percussion lock rather than a flintlock. Adopted in 1844 and built at the Springfield and Harpers Ferry armories, it was also the first U.S. musket made with fully interchangeable parts. It was the last .69 caliber smoothbore arm issued to the U.S. Army before the shift to the rifled .58 caliber Model 1855, and it saw extensive service on both sides of the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4450 g (157.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1473 mm (57.99") |
| Barrel Length | 1067 mm (42.01") |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Effective Range | 137 m (150 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- .69 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as round ball, .69 ball, buck and ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Features: Muzzleloader, Percussion Lock, Smoothbore, Bayonet Lug, Interchangeable Parts
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1844 · as Model 1842
Conflicts
- Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 275,000 · Production years: 1844-1855
About 172,000 from Springfield Armory and 103,000 from Harpers Ferry
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Discontinued: 1855
Notes
Roughly 275,000 were produced (about 172,000 at Springfield and 103,000 at Harpers Ferry) between 1844 and 1855. Some were later rifled to extend service life.
Background
The Model 1842 was a milestone of American industry as much as arms: it was the first U.S. musket built with genuinely interchangeable parts, a leap that let damaged weapons be repaired from a common bin of components rather than hand-fitted one by one.