Anyone who's familiar with the world of gun collecting has undoubtedly heard his compatriots occasionally referring to an antique arms as a "survivor". A "survivor" is an antique weapon that has remained unmolested throughout the years; never modified or refinished or used too heavily. A "survivor" invokes the image of some tired soldier bringing his weapon home from the battlefield and stashing it some forgotten corner to sit and age naturally through the generations before being discovered in the present day (whether or not that's actually the case). These guns have also been described as "Attic finds".
This M1842 Springfield would certainly classify as a survivor. It's exterior shows a lot of wear, but one glance at the darkened stock and patined hardware demonstrates it to be old wear. This is not someone's skirmish gun, this smoothbore has sat untouched for decades. The stock is in excellent shape with numerous handling marks and a bit of very minor burnout behind the bolster. The edges of the stock are very crisp and it is clear that it has never been sanded. A very nice inspector's cartouche is visible on the left counterpane. The stock as a whole is very sound and would most likely stand up to being fired.
The barrel is in good condition with an even brown patina. There is some uniform pitting near the breech from years of usage, however the VP and Eagle stamps are still visible. The barrel is full length and the bayonet lug is intact and unmodified. The bore is dark and rusty-just the way it was found.
The lock is in fantastic condition. The hammer holds solid on both full and half cock. The lock plate has the same patina as the rest of the musket and all the stamps are crisp and legible, The lock plate markings are crisp and legible, sporting an 1844 date - the first year of Springfield production of the Model 1842!
The hardware is all original and matching, including the ram rod!
This '42 is certainly one of the hard to find, untouched, "survivors". It's handsome patina and modest price are sure to make it a no-brainer for any collector.
