Springfield Model 1840 flintlock musket

The Model 1840 featured a longer bayonet with a clasp and a stock with a comb. The designers of the Model 1840 anticipated that the musket would eventually be rifled, and made the barrel thicker than the earlier Model 1835 accordingly. The various modifications to the Model 1840 made it slightly heavier than the Model 1835. The Model 1840 was the last flintlock musket produced in Springfield and Harpers Ferry armories. Many were converted to percussion lock due to better reliability and weather resistance before they made it to the field. Although produced as a smoothbore musket, most of the Model 1840 muskets had their barrels rifled later, as the designers had expected to fire the newly introduced Minié ball. However, despite having a thicker barrel, the increased breech pressure generated by the new expanding projectile was too great for the conversion process to hold and rifled Model 1840 muskets were rather issued standard.69 caliber round balls. Although largely considered obsolete by the Civil War, the M1840 musket saw limited deployment by Confederate forces, including specific units within the Army of Tennessee. Furthermore, some unaltered specimens were utilized by Union home guard units. However, by the mid-war period, the Model 1840's smoothbore flintlock design was significantly outmoded when compared to gradually adopted contemporary rifled muskets such as the Springfield Model 1861/63 or imported Enfields/Musketoon (domestically represented by the Richmond Model 1862 in the Confederate States), with its effective close-range engagement limited to under 100 yards.

• Name — Springfield Model 1840 • Origin — United States • Type — Musket • Is Ranged — yes • Service — 1840–1865 • Used By — * United States • Confederate States • Design Date — 1840 • Manufacturer — * Springfield Armory • Harpers Ferry Armory • D. Nippes • L. Pomeroy • Production Date — 1840–1846 • Number — c. 30,000 • Weight — 9.8 lb • Length — 58.0 in • Part Length — 42.0 in • Cartridge — Paper cartridge, buck and ball/musket ball (.65/16.510 mm) undersized to reduce the effects of powder fouling • Caliber —.69 in (17.526 mm) • Action — Flintlock/percussion lock (conversion) • Rate — User dependent; usually 2 to 3 rounds per minute • Velocity — 1000 ft/s to 1400 ft/s • Range — 50 to (smoothbore) 200 to (rifled) • Max Range — 150 to (smoothbore) 800 to (rifled) • Feed — Muzzle-loaded • Sights — A front sight cast into the upper barrel band, rear sight (percussion/rifled conversion) • Illustration — Springfield Model 1840 percussion conversion