The Unfinished Fight

By Craig L. Barry · Originally published January-February 2025 · pp. 10–13

THE UNFINISHED FIGHT: BUILDING THE TRADITIONS MODEL 1842 RIFLED MUSKET KIT By Craig L. Barry

Beginning in 2020, supply chain shortages with U.S. terms of historical feature accuracy. First introduced in Civil War reproduction firearms, particularly black 1996, the Armi Sport U.S. 1842s earned a reputation as powder muskets, began. Most of these reproductions one of the best “out of the box” reproductions available. are manufactured in Italy by two main manufacturers, D. In other words, as you are building the kit it should require Pedersoli and Armi Chiappa (Armi Sport), both experienced fewer corrections to come out looking remotely like a factory shutdowns related to the COVID-19 virus in 2020. reproduction of something that was in use during the U.S. Prices increased dramatically afterwards, and production Civil War. has never really returned to pre-COVID levels. Every major Upon removing the contents from the shipping container, retailer shows “out of stock” on virtually all models. I was immediately alarmed by the deep laser etching burned Traditions offers into both sides of the several reproduction barrel. Armi Sport musket kits based on usually has their name “I NEVER HAD ANY HEAD FOR the Armi Sport models, stamped on top of the MACHINERY OF ANY KIND which they advertise barrel which is easily BUT FROM SHEER NECESSITY as “simple to assemble filed off to improve DID ACQUIRE ENOUGH OF THE with easy step-by-step the appearance. I instructions.” They also should have boxed the FACULTY TO TAKE APART AND claim the parts have kit up and returned it PUT TOGETHER AN ARMY MUSKET been “pre-assembled at right then and there. AND THAT IS THE FULL EXTENT the factory to ensure fit However, I thought OF MY ABILITY IN THAT LINE.” and ease of assembly.” with a few hours – PVT. LEANDER STILLWELL, 61ST I have previously made of elbow grease I ILLINOIS INFANTRY several U.S. 1861s could remove those from the Dixie Gun disfigurements and Works kits, made at the proceed with the metal time by Miroku, and those all turned out very well. This working portion of the build. was about twenty years ago. I was expecting a similar A quick note about the easy “step-by-step” instructions. experience here. I consider myself like Leander Stillwell, When it came time to add the long-range rear sight to the who is quoted above. I am not particularly handy, but I can barrel, it simply states “attach rear sight to the barrel.” take apart and reassemble an army musket from the Civil However, the screw which affixes it in place is not slotted War era. but has two holes in the top and requires a special U-shaped Traditions offers several kits including a Pattern 1853 screw driver tip not included with the kit. In addition, it is Enfield, U.S. 1861, and U.S. 1842 models all from Armi not an item easily found at your local hardware store. It is Sport. I chose the rifled U.S. 1842 for this project mostly the period correct style screw head, however so I didn’t because I already have an excellent Mike Yeck U.S. 1861 mind ordering this U shaped tip to put with my other extra and a Pedersoli P53 Enfield, but also because the Armi parts and screws. Sport U.S. 1842 is reputedly a very good reproduction in The stock did not appear to have anything awful laser etched into it like the barrel and the lock assembly fit easily into the lock mortise. There was the usual amount of sanding to get the stock into shape and remove high spots created where they cut the lock mortise, which is to say, quite a bit of sanding and shaping. The stock was then refinished with multiple coats of boiled linseed oil hand rubbed into the wood, which is exactly how gunstocks were finished in the 1860s. No staining of the wood is required. Then the metal parts like the trigger guard and barrel bands had to be polished and fit into the stock. Finally, when all this was completed, came the ultimate betrayal. The barrel holes were mis-drilled at the factory by about a half inch. The hole for barrel tang screw was drilled incorrectly and the hammer would not reach the percussion cone. Lacking the kind of equipment for this kind of major rework, the entire thing had to be boxed up and shipped to professional gunsmith Todd Watts to relocate the holes and complete the project. So is the Traditions kit a good option for the hobbyist interested in owning a reproduction Civil War musket? In speaking with gunsmith Todd Watts, he remarked that he had previously built four of the Traditions Enfield kits. He believes them to be “factory seconds” as so far every kit has had serious defects. On one, the lock mortise was mislocated, on another, the lock plate screws blocked the ramrod channel, and so on. And of course, the same laser etching which disfigured the barrels. In conclusion, the Traditions Civil War reproduction musket kits are not quite as advertised and probably not something that the average hobbyist could complete unassisted.

Laser etching on barrel.

Fitting the barrel band.

Stock after sanding.

Stock fitting.

Craig L. Barry was born in Charlottesville, Va. He holds his BA and Masters degrees from UNC (Charlotte). Craig served The Watchdog Civil War Quarterly as Associate Editor and Editor from 2003–2017. The Watchdog published books and columns on 19th-century material. He is the author of several books including The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy (2006, 2011), The Unfinished Fight: Essays on Confederate Material Culture Vol. I and II (2012, 2013). He has also published four books in the Suppliers to the Confederacy series on English Arms & Accoutrements, Quartermaster stores and other European imports.

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