This is a good looking Civil War gun with a neat life history. It is a complete Civil War Conversion musket done by the famous firm of Hewes & Phillips of Newark, New Jersey. At the outbreak of the Civil War the U.S. Government had a tough decision to make. Should they buy new weapons or just convert the old flintlocks that were in the arsenals? They did both. This is one of the ones the government converted from flintlock to percussion. This gun started out life as a .69 caliber smoothbore musket made by Wickham of Philadelphia and was made in 1830. The lockplate has the clear markings of the original maker of the gun. This is one of the 1st types of conversions that were done by Hewes & Phillips in Newark, New Jersey. It has their "H&P" marking on the breech of the barrel as well as the "1861" date of the conversion. This is one of the guns that they converted and they put the rear sight on. This is one of the ones that was never rifled and it has the correct non-cupped end ramrod. The breech of the gun also has the "NJ" stamp that lets us know that it was in the arsenals of the state of New Jersey at one time. Both of the sling swivels are present as well and they still pivot. The stock has a fine look with a beautiful appearance. On the flat of the stock opposite of the lockplate you can see the oval stamp where the gun was approved for military service after it was converted. The stock is original to the gun and is made of the piece of dark American walnut wood. It has a hair ling crack front he front of the lockplate towards the barrel that is nicely repaired but mentioned for exactness and priced accordingly. This is a cool gun that we know is Civil War because of the 1861 date of conversion.