anyone like my lamp?

It is a trapdoor, but not the well known Model 1873. It looks like the Model 1866 Allin conversion. Those rifles, with the exception of the breechblock and hammer were Civil War .58 caliber rifle muskets, which explains the 1860 lockplate. The barrels were reamed out and lined to take a .50 center fire cartridge (both the Benet and Martin types were used). The barrels were cut off at the top rear and the "trapdoor" breechblock installed, with the front "flap" screwed to the barrel.

Some 25,000 were made/converted at Springfield Armory and values can range from $700 or so up to $3000+ for one in top condition. Without seeing the actual gun, and how much damage was done in converting it to a lamp, I can't come any closer, but maybe someone else can WAG a better figure.

Now the question is whether a lamp with some history is worth more than the gun it was made from and whether to restore the gun.

Jim

It looks like an Allin alteration. After the civil war, they converted some muskets to.a cartridge gun by fitting a breech loading receiver to the barrel. I would bet your lamp was a Bannerman creations in the 30s or 40s.

I wouldn't guess a value but it is probably less than the unaltered gun would be worth. Probably because of its association with Mr Jolson, that would help its value.

How well does it shoot with that shade attached on the muzzle?

OptimusPrime said:

How well does it shoot with that shade attached on the muzzle?

Click to expand...

What do you mean shade? Don't you know thats an antique flash suppressor?

Recheck that "1860" date on the lockplate. An 1860 dated musket lockplate would have the mechanism for the Maynard tape primer (including a hump and a prominent door). The style of lockplate pictured started with the 1861 model.