Trigger guard ... But is it Civil War era?

[Ace 350]

It has the number 5 stamped on top of the trigger guard.

 

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[NOLA_Ken]

From the size I'd think it's from a pistol, I don't like the number stamped on it though, it makes me think modern reproduction....

 

[BosnMate]

It sure looks like a pistol trigger guard, but it has a hole for a sling swivel, which is throwing me off. I don't think the number 5 necessarily makes it a repo, although I can't show you an original with a number on it. It's broken at the screw hole, which also tends to make me think pistol, but then I come back to the swivel hole.

 

[BosnMate]

The broken screw hold makes me think that is the rear of a pistol trigger guard, if it was the front the screw would be blocking the ram-rod. That means the swivel hole is at the back or the guard, so is it a swivel hole, if not, then for what

 

[NHBandit]

Not sure why this is posted again but I will answer it again anyway.. It is from a Civil War era British Model 1853 Enfield. The front part had no screw hole ever and the back is broken off at the screw hole. If you need measurements to confirm, this one is hanging over my fireplace.. The hole is for the sling swivel which is missing. The number on it is of no concern. The Brits likes to stamp stuff all over their gun parts and have been doing it for hundreds of years. It's my opinion that the opening on your piece appears smaller because it's bent.

 

[BosnMate]

Bandit, You are right, I looked close at the second picture, and the swivel hole is in the front of the trigger guard. Didn't see it earlier, and it was really scrambling my brain.

 

[BosnMate]

Oh yeah, it's off an Enfield, so yes, it dates to and probably is off a gun imported for use in the Civil War. Imported by both sides, but Confederates used more than the Yankees.

 

[NHBandit]

Ace350 where ya at in Tennessee ? I'm in Greene County

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I'm not convinced this is an 1853 Enfield triggerguard. They were elongated and the swivel was through-bolted. His is almost round and the swivel hole isn't drilled through (blind holes).

But I don't have a better answer.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Charlie P is correct, as usual. It is definitely not from the civil war era (Model-1853) Enfield Rifle... because the trigger guard for those had an vertical attachment tab (shaped like a tall tombstone) on the top of its front end. The famous "Brown Bess" Enfield musket, which was the standard British Army musket from 1722 to 1838, had a similar vertical tab atop its front end. To see what I'm talking about, examine the photos below, which show a Model-1853 Enfield's trigger guard (the back end is broken off, like yours). I do not think yours had a tab which is broken off, because your photos apparently do not show a long narrow rectangular "break-off scar" where the tab would have been located. If such a scar is there but its not clear in your photos, let us know. If it's there, then it might indeed be an Enfield trigger guard.

 

[BosnMate]

In the first picture it looks to me like there has been a tab broken off. Look close, I see a rectangle in about the right spot. It appeared to me the hole
doesn't go all the way through because it's plugged with dirt. It's probably been bent so it looks like a pistol trigger guard. Looking at CharlieP's picture
the tab would not interfere with the ramrod, it appears to be at the very end of the ramrod hole. It would be entering the wood right behind the nipple,
which is right at the face of the breech plug.

 

[geologyjohn]

its a broken and bent M1853 Enfield trigger guard. Like NHBandit noted above, this trigger guard has been discussed elsewhere on this forum.