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American Civil War Muskets

Both the Confederacy and the Union showed a preference for .58 and .577 caliber rifle muskets. The advent of rifling made these weapons superior in terms of accuracy when compared to the smoothbore muskets. These rifles were primarily percussion-based weapons that fired a single shot before they were required to be reloaded, which was a relatively slow process in and of itself.

The Confederate cavalry was devastatingly effective with their double-barrel smoothbore musket shotguns. Colt, Springfield, and Remington all produced rifles for the Union army, and these models were often known as the superior rifle in terms of accuracy, reliability, and durability. The Confederacy imported rifles from several different countries including Belgium, France, Prussia, and the UK, making it a difficult task for collectors to amass a full assembly.


Quick Facts

  • While the vast majority of rifles were single shot muskets, the Colt revolving rifle offered six shots
  • The Confederacy had little gun-making equipment until they seized it at the U.S. Armory in Harper’s Ferry in 1862
  • Rifles at the time weighed as much as ten pounds, and were often the same height as an average infantryman with the bayonet affixed

Recommended Items at Auction

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1862 Dated British Tower Pattern 1853 Two-Band Rifle-Musket
Feb 22, 9:00 AM CST
1862 Dated British Tower Pattern 1853 Two-Band Rifle-Musket
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $800- $1,200
$7001 Bid
Civil War Era U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1855 Rifle-Musket
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Civil War Era U.S. Harpers Ferry Model 1855 Rifle-Musket
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $800- $1,200
$7001 Bid
Two Antique U.S. Military Longarms
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Antique U.S. Military Longarms
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $800- $1,400
$7000 Bids
Two Civil War Era Percussion Longarms
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era Percussion Longarms
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,200- $1,800
$1,0000 Bids
Two Civil War Era Percussion Long Guns with C.S. Richmond Locks
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era Percussion Long Guns with C.S. Richmond Locks
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,200- $1,800
$1,0000 Bids
Civil War Percussion Rifle-Musket with C.S. Richmond Lock
Feb 22, 9:00 AM CST
Civil War Percussion Rifle-Musket with C.S. Richmond Lock
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $2,500- $3,500
$2,0000 Bids
Two Civil War U.S. Springfield 1864 Smoothbored Rifle-Muskets
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War U.S. Springfield 1864 Smoothbored Rifle-Muskets
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $800- $1,300
$7000 Bids
Miller Breech Loading Conversion 1861 Rifle-Musket
Feb 22, 9:00 AM CST
Miller Breech Loading Conversion 1861 Rifle-Musket
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,200- $1,800
$1,0000 Bids
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Conversion Muskets
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Conversion Muskets
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $900- $1,500
$8000 Bids
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Muskets
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Muskets
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $900- $1,500
$8000 Bids
Civil War Percussion Rifle-Musket with C.S. Richmond Marked Lock
Feb 22, 9:00 AM CST
Civil War Percussion Rifle-Musket with C.S. Richmond Marked Lock
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,200- $1,800
$1,0000 Bids
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Muskets
Feb 23, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Percussion Muskets
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $950- $1,600
$8500 Bids
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Rifled Muskets with Bayonets
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Two Civil War Era U.S. Martial Rifled Muskets with Bayonets
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,300- $2,000
$1,1000 Bids
One Cane Gun and One Cane
Feb 22, 9:00 AM CST
One Cane Gun and One Cane
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $800- $1,300
$6000 Bids
Springfield Model 1863 (Civil War) Musket w/Bayonet
Feb 20, 6:30 PM EST
Springfield Model 1863 (Civil War) Musket w/Bayonet
by Main Auction Galleries
Est: $600- $800
$3000 Bids
Civil War U.S. Springfield 1863 Type II Percussion Rifle
Feb 21, 9:00 AM CST
Civil War U.S. Springfield 1863 Type II Percussion Rifle
by Rock Island Auction Company
Est: $1,800- $2,750
$1,6000 Bids

Sellers Who Sell American Civil War Muskets


Rock Island Auction Company

Rock Island Auction Company

Main Auction Galleries

Main Auction Galleries