This is an example of a commercial P53 percussion rifle-musket manufactured by the London Armory Company. The rifle musket has a brass forend tip, three screw-fastened iron barrel bands, a long range rear sight, brass butt plate and trigger guard with nipple protector and straight shank iron ramrod with a knurled and slotted tip. The English walnut stock has deep checkering on the wrist and the forearm below the barrel band. The barrel and bands have a blued finish and the lock and hammer are casehardened. The lock is stamped with a "Crown/V.R." royal cipher behind the hammer and "1861/L.A.Co." ahead of it. The left side of the barrel is stamped with British "Crown/V" and "Crown/P" proof and inspection marks. Inlaid in the left side of the stock is a round silver 1 6/8 inch medallion inscribed: "LADIES PRIZE/won by/T M BLADES/1862" and engraved with scroll designs. The musket is complete with a brass nipple protector attached to the lower sling swivel. Volunteer rifle battalions were popular in Great Britain around 1860. Most members of these volunteer units carried privately purchased high quality rifle-muskets like this one.