Charles Brooks Hoard of Watertown, New York received contracts for 70,000 Model 1861 rifle-muskets but was only able to deliver 12,800 by the end of the war and took a financial loss on the contracts due to the cost of the necessary machinery/materials and disputes with the War Department. These are among the rarer Model 1861 contract rifle-muskets. This example has the standard sights, "1864" and standard proofs at the breech, the eagle and shield motif, "U.S./WATERTOWN," and "1864" on the lock, "C. B. HOARD" and a faint inspector's cartouche stamped on the left stock flat, and a removable collection mark on the trigger guard bow. Includes a U.S. marked socket bayonet.

Very good, showing mostly bright finish speckled with some grey patina, evidence of light cleaning, and some scattered patches of light pitting. The lightly sanded and reoiled wood is good and has a few scattered minor handling marks, some light chipping along the ramrod and barrel channels, and faint cartouches. Mechanically excellent. The bayonet is very good showing a mixture of bright and brown patina.