Offered here is a complete set of the tools for the maintenance and operation of the US Model 1841 “Mississippi” Rifle in the field. The set includes a combination wrench with closed socket cone (nipple) wrench and two screwdrivers, a ball screw (ball puller) and a wiper (worm). All three tools are US marked on their bodies, and the combination wrench additionally shows two inspection marks, one looks like a backwards Z on the reverse and the other is either a poorly struck H or M.

A complete set of tools like this is shown in the patchbox of a Mississippi Rifle on page 154 of Gun Tools: Their History and Identification Volume I by James B. Shaffer, Lee A. Rutledge and R. Stephen Dorsey. To this day there is still a somewhat lively argument amongst collectors and scholars as to whether or not the tools were really intended to be carried in the rifle’s patchbox. The various tools are discussed on pages 153-155 for the combination tool, page 122 for the ball screw and page 100 for the wiper. The combination tool is 3.6” in overall length with a .5” diameter wrench head that has a .26” internal box end wrench measurement. The ball screw is 2.4” in overall length with a .52” diameter head at the base of the screw. The wiper is 3” in overall length with a .38” diameter twisted tines section. As noted, all three tools are marked US and all three appear to be correctly threaded for the 15/64”x24 ramrod shaft of the unaltered Mississippi Rifle. Some of the rifles altered to .58 caliber had their ramrods re-threaded for .58 caliber tools.

All of the tools are in about GOOD to NEAR VERY GOOD condition. They are all moderately oxidized with only traces of their blued/blackened finishes and mottled gray appearance overall. They also show some areas of light surface rust, particularly between the tines of the wipers. The metal shows moderate amounts of scattered oxidized surface roughens and some lightly scattered pitting as well. The wiper has a small piece of one of the tines broken off, with about .25” of the tine missing. All three appear to have serviceable threads in their bases.

Finding US marked 1841 Mississippi Rifle tools is difficult, particularly the ball screw and the wiper. Here is an opportunity to acquire a complete set for display with your Mississippi Rifle. The last couple of complete sets of these tools that I have seen sell at auction brought $750 and $900 respectively as their hammer prices, plus a 20% buyer’s premium. That means they really sold for $900 and $1,080, plus tax and shipping! This set is very fairly priced and gives you the opportunity to acquire them all at one time with one purchase. Don’t miss your chance to get a complete set of 1841 Rifle tools, I doubt these will last very long.

SOLD