Civil War Imported Brazilian Light Minié Rifle with Original Bayonet (AL5132)

Civil War Imported Brazilian Light Minié Rifle with Original Bayonet. Overall length is approximately.48”. The 32” round .58 caliber barrel with no visible rifling. The stock is good with no cracks or chips but with evidence of infantry use, including several dents along the comb. Stocker’s name, “G.K. Gates” is stamped into the front and rear and rear trigger guard tang. The initials “MS” are carved on the bottom forward of the trigger guard. A round ⅞” brass inventory disc with “No 58” is applied to the right butt. The “58” is repeated on the heel, just forward of the butt plate tang. There is a circular inspection cartouche centered on the right butt. In addition, the O.P. Drissen & Co manufacture’s stamp is to the rear of the barrel tang with another about an inch to the left of the cartouche. Drissen stamp is an anchor with “D” and “C” on either side of the shaft. It is present on the lock, bands, trigger guard, butt plate, and hammer. The barrel has the standard oval “ELG” proof. The metal is smooth and brown. Action functions correctly. Somewhere around 5 to 6 thousand of these rifles were diverted to the U.S. for use by the Union during the Civil War. They are often encountered with an eagle escutcheon to the rear of the barrel tang (missing on this example but attachment holes are there). The Bayonet is 28½” straight blade manufactured by S&K (Schnitzler & Kirschbaum), Solingen, Germany. It also is marked with the “Drissen/ D/ Ancher/ C” on the blade and guard. The blade is bright with scattered staining. Here’s your chance to have a scarce Civil War imported Brazilian Light minié rifle complete with an original bayonet.