✅ SOLVED Enfield makers mark help

[Tnmountains]

Its off an 1862 2 band Towers enfield. It has the VR marks trying to find the manufacturer . To the right of the 1862 Tower you see the stamp. I see the crown and what looks like STA then the number "6". Cant find the maker for this? Any help appreciated.

 

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[Tony in SC]

It's an English percussion made by the Tower Armory. Some times military and sometime civilian.

 

[Tnmountains]

Tony
Towers was made by many manufacturers though. The VR designates it as Military and it also is engraved on stock with name and 107 co D Illz ( Illinois). Was there an actual Towers armory with a makers mark like this? Sorry to be so dumb I researched on the enfield forums for known maker marks and could not find it.

I guess its the inspector marks..... Thanks.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Based on the double border on your lockplate it was made in Birmingham, the small crown with the numbers and letters is an inspector mark from the Birmingham Small Arms Trade, which should be a crown over B and a number.

You have a Birmingham made Enfield Pattern of 1853, dated 1862.

Is there is a large crown with VR or without a VR behind the hammer, see an example on the lockplate of my 1863 Pattern 1853 Snidsr-Enfield. Here's a site that will explain your TOWER marking with detail.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/tower-enfield.23631/

 

[Tnmountains]

Birmingham thank you. That is what I was after. Yes it has the VR mark.

 

[Retired Sarge]

The Crown VR stands for Victoria Regina aka Queen Victoria who reigned from 1837 to 1901.

 

[Tnmountains]

Is the 1860 two band a pattern "53"? I am reading that they sold the 1860 as surplus with and without the VR markings.

 

[Retired Sarge]

P-1864 Snider Breech Loading RifleView attachment 1801958 gratitude

I think the OPs weapon is still a muzzleloader versus a Snider conversion. See my P1853 Snider conversion, the OPs hammer area looks different than Snider does. Sorry for the dust, the rifle is heavily oiled so it attracts dust like a magnet.

 

[Tnmountains]

Muzzleloader with no conversion you are correct.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Is the 1860 two band a pattern "53"? I am reading that they sold the 1860 as surplus with and without the VR markings.

With two bands it would likely be a Pattern 1856 (Or maybe a Pattern 1858 Naval rifle) both had 33 inch barrels and 2 bands versus 3 bands.

 

[Tnmountains]

I am trying to authenticate this Enfield and markings as being a surplus that was shipped to the U.S during the civil war. It has been in a closet for almost 50 years this I know for fact. What bothers me is that is has a name engraved on it with hometown and state unit and company. The name matches the muster call and have researched his service and action he saw. He was here at one point after Chickamauga.Nothing special about the guy stands out.He mustered out as disabled and saw quiet a few battles and skirmishes
. My thoughts are it would be hard to have come up with "his name" to put on the enfield so long ago without the internet. Am leaning towards if this enfield was a surplus item even with the VR on it then the signature may be his. But then Sears and Roebuck was selling them for a few dollars out of their catalog in the early 1900"also. So if it is a fake it is what it is.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Rule of thumb rifles provided to the USA and CSA during the American Civil War typically were not marked with the Crown VR cipher, that said..........Never say never, because some sites say the North did get rifles marked Crown VR. So it's confusing. If the rifle was bought post war it would be typically marked with certain markings indicating that.

Your best bet is to take a magnifying glass and copy all the markings, from that we can decipher more about the rifle. It'll take a little detective work, but that is part of the thrill of deciphering a weapons history.

I just had an afterthought, does the rifle have a bayonet lug or not? Should be on the side of the barrel like seen on this one. If so this is the type of bayonet it would have been issued with, a British P-1856 Yataghan sword bayonet.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Remove the lock plate. Often times the mfg'r stamped the name inside. Gary

 

[Tnmountains]

FFuries
No bayonet to match this one. There were a couple in the closet but none for this. I had read where the VR typically says a no by a guy who wrote the book on enfields but he also said never say never as they do appear early on from surplus. Early on many of the stamped with VR were surplus and everyone was willing to make a dollar.The soldier was from Va but moved to Ill and joined there.
You guys have solved the markings. I will go back and see if I see any more marks and move it to the Civil war section and come back with more info.
Thanks everyone.