Belgian 'Cone-In-Barrel' Alteration
The rifling & sighting of both cone-in-the barrel smoothbore altered muskets began in 1856. The rifling was unsatisfactory because the barrels
were weakend at the breach by the upseting of the metal when the cone seat was created. After a few thousand alterations the Federal government discontinued
the rifling of cone-in-the barrel muskets, howerver this did not deter the individual states from doing so. These muskets were generally rifled with 3 broad lands & grooves
with the width being of equal length and were 69 cal. These alterations were done by Harpers Ferry Arsenal and Miles Greenwood & Co. of Cincinnati for OHIO.
The sighting required the addition of a rear sight and a new front sight mounted on the barrel or upper band. Harpers Ferry rear sights was a version of the model 1855
rifle-musket rear sight dovetailed & screwed 5 1/2 in. from the breach. The old front sight was removed from the upper band rear strap and a new sight was
brazed on the foward strap. Greenwood's rear sight was soldered to the barrel and follows the general pattern of the M1853 Enfield rear sight. The front sight
is a simple high brass blade mounted on the front strap of the upper barrel band. In 1861 Major-General John C. Fremont sent 10,000 Austrian tube lock to
Greenwood & Co. for rifling and alteration to the standard percussion system. Greenwood, in turn, subcontracted the work to Hall, Caroll & Co. of the same city
who actually did the alterations. It is believed that the alteration method was the same that was used by Greenwood.
| Contractor |
Dates of Conversion |
Number Converted |
| Harpers Ferry |
1856-57 |
2,000 |
| Greenwood & Co. |
1861 |
16,918 |
| Hall, Carrol & Co. |
1861 |
10,000 |
| Cone-In--Barrel Alteration |
|