Featured in this lot we have a Tower 1862 percussion cap musket chambered in .58 caliber. This musket displays a 39" long round barrel, walnut stock, adjustable rear ladder sight, under barrel ram rod, and percussion cap design. The Tower British .58 caliber rifled musket was ordered by the thousands and delivered mainly to the Confederacy during the Civil War. This finely made weapon saw wide spread use through the entire conflict. After the war, many of these Tower muskets were retained by the soldiers who were issued them and many of these went West with the thousands of Ex-Confederate soldiers who did not want to remain in the defeated South during Reconstruction. According to the book Arming The West: A Fresh New Look at the Guns that were Actually Carried on the Frontier, “Myth-busting details from the Western shipping records of firearms giant Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, 1868-1886,” by noted arms historian Herbert G. Houze, beginning in 1868 and continuing through the 1870s, many thousand of these British .58 caliber Civil War surplus muskets were shipped to dealers and distributors in the West. They were considered reliable, powerful and accurate arms for economy minded westward pioneers. It also helped that many if not most men going West during this time had military experience and were familiar with the workings of the .58 caliber rifled musket. The lock plate is marked reading "1862 TOWER" with a crown stamped design. The barrel retains some of its original dark finish with the lock plate showing faint signs of possible case hardened finish. The barrel is marked with six import and manufacture proof marks. The stock shows good walnut construction with handling wear and a knot near the tang removed. It comes with brass butt plate, trigger guard, and fixtures all displaying a warm patina. Mechanically the action shows working condition with proper locking mechanism and good trigger. The piece shows good condition for its age with handling wear and light pitting on the barrel and hammer. The musket weighs 8lbs 8oz. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.