Springfield Model 1861 Rifled Musket
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1861
Also known as: U.S. Rifle-Musket Model 1861, .58 Caliber Springfield, the '61 Springfield
Overview
The Springfield Model 1861 Rifled Musket was the principal infantry weapon of the Union Army during the American Civil War. A .58 caliber percussion-cap, muzzle-loading rifled musket produced at the Springfield Armory and by some twenty private contractors, it fired the hollow-based Minié ball through a three-groove barrel, giving it far greater accuracy and range than the smoothbore muskets it replaced. The combination of rifled muskets and Minié ammunition is widely credited as a major factor in the war's high casualty rates.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4368 g (154.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1422 mm (55.98") |
| Barrel Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Effective Range | 274 m (300 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 457 m (500 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 1829 mm (72.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | White Metal |
Calibers
- .58 Caliber Minié Ball · primary — also known as 0.58 in, 14.7 mm, .58 Springfield
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Features: Rifled Barrel, Muzzle Loaded, Percussion Cap, Folding Leaf Sights, Socket Bayonet Lug, Ramrod
Service history
Operators
- Union Army / United States · adopted 1861 · as U.S. Rifle-Musket, Model 1861
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 700,000 · Production years: 1861-1865
Springfield Armory plus roughly twenty private contractors; the single most-produced Union infantry weapon of the war.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Discontinued: 1863
Notes
Rifling twist is approximately one turn in 72 inches (1:72). Some sources cite muzzle velocity up to ~305 m/s depending on powder load. Superseded by the Model 1863.
Background
The marriage of the rifled musket and the expanding Minié ball gave Civil War infantry effective fire to several hundred yards, far beyond the smoothbore's reach, while Napoleonic close-order tactics lagged behind, contributing to staggering casualties.