Model 1817 common rifle

For rifling it had seven grooves. Like the M1814 common rifle, it had a large oval patch box in the stock, however the stock dropped steeper than on the M1814 common rifle. After producing the M1814 common rifle through contractors, the military decided to do the same with the M1817 rifle. The Harpers Ferry Arsenal produced a pattern weapon, which was then taken to gunsmiths to be copied. The rifle was built by Henry Deringer of Philadelphia (13,000 made), Nathan Starr & Co. Of Middleton, Connecticut (10,200 made), Simeon North of Middleton, Connecticut (7,200 made), R. Johnson of Middleton, Connecticut (5,000 made), R. & J. Johnson of Middleton, Connecticut (3,000 made). The rifling gun saw notable use during the Texas Federalist War against the Mexican centralist government, particularly among the New Orleans Greys and Texian Militia at the Alamo. Over time the rifles became obsolete, but they still saw service during the American Civil War; originally flintlocks, most were converted to percussion cap for their firing mechanism. They saw service in the west, as far as California, where there were still M1817 rifles in the Bencia, California, arsenal in the 1860s.

• Name — Deringer M1817 rifle • Origin — United States • Type — Muzzle-loading rifle • Is Ranged — Yes • Used By — United States • Wars — Seminole Wars, Texas Revolution, American Civil War • Designer — M.T. Wickham and Harpers Ferry Armory • Design Date — 1817 • Production Date — 1817–1842 • Number — 38,200 • Weight — 9.3 lbs • Part Length — 36 in • Cartridge —.54 ball, black powder, paper • Caliber — 0.54 in • Action — Flintlock/percussion lock (conversion) • Rate — 2–3 per minute • Feed — Muzzle-loaded • Illustration — A Model 1817 Hall U.S. contract breechloading flintlock rifle