If your rifle is a long rifle with OWA stamped on left rear of barrel and it has a cartouche on the wood of
the pistol grip, and it is a 1859 new model with double set triggers, has a primer feed and shoots
linen wrapped 53 cal. slugs, then I would assume it to be one made for Berdan's sharpshooters.
There are not scratches on mine; they are notches cut with a knife on right side of pistol grip(9) and
nobody in their right mind would do so on such a weapon for any kind of animal hunting. With the
ammo, cartridge case, bayonet, etc mine was certainly used in the Civil War. My only search has
been to find out who had been issued it and used it. So far, that info hasn't been found. It was
in my grandfather's possession since late 1890s and I don't think he had obtained it from a stranger
the all the accompany items plus other items used by union troops in civil war. If you know of a
source for such documentation, I'd appreciate knowing. According to all the printed material I
have found, only 47 are known to exist plus whatever ones are in museums. Obviously,mine wasn't
known by those sources, and probably not some others.
Richard