.58 RF Springfield conversion- Milbank patent 61082

[Dick Hosmer]

Not exactly trapdoor, but "of the period". A museum curator has contacted me asking for information on something he claims to have in their holdings. I am, so far, stumped - cannot find it in Flayderman or anything else I have so far found on my bookshelf.

I'm assuming it would be VERY rare to not have at least a mention in Flayderman (yes, I know the Berdans are filed under Colt). Maybe it's right under my nose, but, if it is, I'm not seeing it. The guy is supposed to be sending pictures, but that doesn't always happen. Has not provided any info on markings, if any, other than a lockplate date of 1864, which doesn't mean much. Al? Ed Hull? John? Thanks in advance.

[carlsr]

Found this on guns international, has been sold but could this be the rifle?
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns- ... tid=464934

[Dick Hosmer]

He did mention that sold GI rifle, but, when I searched for it I did not find it. He says they appear identical, so at least there must be two of them. Uses an 1861 hammer, and apparently the breech is unlocked by twisting the comb of the block? I had never heard of it.

[johngross]

There may be info in Claude Fuller's The Breech-Loader in the Service. I might be able to check later unless someone beats me to it.

[Jim]

Could the rifle be the so-called, “Miller” conversion?
Or:
The Mount Storm, Morse, Needham, Peabody (not likely) or Phoenix conversions. . . . . .
All were rim-fire.

[John S.]

Not one I recognize.
It seems to have a bit of a Berdan feel. Some conversions were done by Remington on .577 Enfields, and I think maybe some Springfields, but most were done in/for Spain.

That twisting latch mechanism is certainly different

I did not find anything similar on the excellent site by Keith Doyan which was dormant for many years but recently resurrected with more and better content:
Military Rifles in the Age of Transition:
(Non-U.S.) Black Powder, Metallic Cartridge, Military Rifles 1865 to 1890
https://www.militaryrifles.com/

Ed Hull will almost certainly know, or find out. He is a real expert in that fascinating era of transition from muzzle loading to breech loading military longarms.

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, he is! I definitely await his input - heck, he probably HAS one!

[John S.]

The rifle in question is indeed the one shown in the GunsInternational listing which is several years old. (Identical dings and rust spots.) So, we are only sure that this one example exists, although there may be others.

The gun is part of a collection donated by an Wyoming resident to the Wyoming State Museum earlier this year.

The curatorial staff contacted another collector group I am connected with, to inquire about it, and sent a link with lots more photos, which you can see here:
https://wyomuseum.catalogaccess.com/objects/81867

Ed Hull is the expert on this field, and I have asked for his thoughts. Since it is speculatively connected with Hiram Berdan, I also asked Roy Marcot, the expert on Berdan and his rifles for this thoughts.

[carlsr]

Thanks for posting the link John. I saw that rifle on GI some time ago, forget what the asking price was???
Odd breech block which must have been time consuming to fabricate.

[John S.]

Ed Hull has identified this as a conversion based on Isaac M. Milbank's patent 61082 of January 7, 1867.

He will be in contact with the museum. I would not be surprised if there is an article sometime in the future on Milbank and his many inventions.

Thanks to everyone for their comments and guesses, and especially Ed for his unsurpassed knowledge of the oddball early breechloader era.