U.S. Model 1855 Harpers Ferry Rifle-Musket – Maynard Tape Primer – Pre-Civil War Military Rifle

Offered here is an original U.S. Model 1855 rifle-musket manufactured at the Harpers Ferry Armory, one of the most historically significant firearms produced by the United States prior to the Civil War.

The lock plate is clearly marked:

“U.S. – HARPER’S FERRY”

with the American eagle motif and the 1858 date, placing this rifle’s manufacture just before the outbreak of the American Civil War.

The Model 1855 was a major advancement in U.S. military small arms design. It was the first standard U.S. service rifle built for the .58 caliber Minié ball, dramatically increasing range and battlefield effectiveness compared to earlier smoothbore muskets.

One of the most distinctive features of this model is the Maynard automatic tape primer system located at the top rear of the lock plate. This innovative mechanism used a roll of percussion caps mounted in a paper tape that automatically advanced a fresh primer each time the hammer was cocked. Although the system proved delicate in field conditions and was eventually discontinued, it remains one of the most recognizable features of the Model 1855.

This rifle retains the traditional configuration expected of U.S. military rifle-muskets of the period:

• Harpers Ferry Model 1855 contract rifle-musket

• Lock plate dated 1859 with U.S. eagle marking

• Maynard tape primer system

• .58 caliber rifled barrel

• Full-length walnut military stock

• Iron furniture with sling swivels

• Standard percussion ignition system

Harpers Ferry rifles are especially desirable to collectors due to their association with one of the United States’ primary federal armories. The Harpers Ferry Armory played a central role in early American firearms production and was famously destroyed during the Civil War after being seized by Confederate forces in 1861.

Rifles like this were produced in the years immediately preceding the Civil War and saw service during the early stages of the conflict before later models such as the Springfield Model 1861 replaced them.

The rifle remains in good antique condition with an attractive aged patina to the metal surfaces and a solid walnut stock showing normal handling marks consistent with military use. The lock markings remain clear and legible, adding to the historical appeal of the piece.

Manufacturer: Harpers Ferry Armory

Model: U.S. Model 1855 Rifle-Musket

Caliber: .58

Ignition: Percussion (Maynard Tape Primer System)

Date: 1859

Era: Pre-Civil War / Early Civil War

An important early U.S. military rifle produced at the historic Harpers Ferry Armory just before the American Civil War.

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