Went Krag Shopping;

[HeyJoe]

but came home with a Colt. Packed in whale oil. All the time scrubbing it I feared finding "Italy" stamped on it. Made in 1864 for NJ; never issued. Like NOS, new old stock, mint but no history to tell. I'm happy.

[butlersrangers]

A Colt "Sprenfield". Nice!

They are 'special' muskets.

[Mike4MSU]

Wow, that is GORGEOUS! Congratulations! Wish I were lucky enough to own such a nice piece of history.

[Whig]

Heck, that is pretty.

They all have a history, by the way! Yours is just not quite as exciting, evidently.

[HeyJoe]

The butt plate is unscratched, never even been in a parade. Bore like new. Wood is sharp and clean. At least now it will get some light as a wall hanger.

[butlersrangers]

Most gorgeous!

IIRC - The Colt Special Musket was built on Machinery from the defunctRobbins & Lawrence Company, which had been bankrupted by expansion to build 'Enfields' for Britain, during the Crimean War.

[148Infantry]

I've been collecting and researching firearms for 20 years or so. And hearing about a find of an un-issued Civil War contract musket is amazing! That's incredible, you keep living right my friend! I see by your location makes this plausible, where I live was mainly uninhibited wilderness for hundreds of miles during the time of the Civil War, hehe