The Model 1816 was manufactured at the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry from 1816 to 1844 and many of the roughly 350,000 muskets manufactured there were converted to percussion like this musket using various methods. In addition to being used into the Civil War era, many of these muskets were sold as inexpensive surplus arms after the war and taken to the West. This musket has a new breech plug marked "B" with a large bolster and cleanout screw installed to convert it to percussion, "HARPERS/FERRY/1843" on the lock, and a bayonet lug that doubles as the front sight. Provenance: The John Fox Collection

Good with a mix of dark brown patina and applied brown, moderate oxidation, absent forend tip and upper barrel band, some repaired cracks, gap around the lock, and general moderate wear. Mechanically fine.