Type III Rifle-Musket manufactured by the Richmond Armory in Richmond, Virginia, c. 1862-63. The Richmond Armory was established on the site of the former Virginia Armory in 1861 to utilize the gun making machinery and materials captured at the U.S. Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia in April 1861. Utilizing the machinery from Harpers Ferry, the Richmond Armory manufactured a simplified version of the U.S. Model 1855 Rifle-Musket. The Richmond Armory Rifle-Muskets are quickly identified by the hump back lock plate made from forgings and dies for the U.S. Model 1855 Maynard tape primer lock plate that were captured at Harpers Ferry. This rifle-musket has the Type II lock plate with a less pronounced hump than earlier production Richmond Armory Rifle-Muskets. The rifle-musket has a iron front sight/bayonet lug, folding two leaf rear sight, distinctive U.S. Model 1855 style hammer, bolster with cleanout screw, flat barrel bands marked "U" on the right side and black walnut stock with brass buttplate and brass screw fastened forearm cap. The musket is complete with the correct late pattern straight shank tulip head ramrod. The lock plate is dated "1862" vertically behind the hammer and roll stamped "C.S./RICHMOND, VA." in two lines ahead of the bolster. "V/P/EAGLE HEAD" proof and inspection marks are stamped on the left barrel flat. Manufactured between 1861 and 1865 in larger quantities than any other Confederate made weapon; the Richmond Armory Rifle-Musket was a high quality weapon that is perhaps the best representative small arm of the Confederate infantryman.