A family friend showed me a 1863 Springfield they found while sorting out their father's estate.

The rifle:
- Appears to be in 45 cal.? instead of 58 cal. ?
- Buttplate marked US
- Lockplate marked 1863 Springfield with an Eagle
- a capital "P" stamped on the barrel  back by the hammer but no sign of a date stamp
- there is not an eagle on the piece the hammer rests on (which all appears to have on my google search)
- barrel bands stamped "U"
- there are no marking on the stock
- there no modern proof marks, maker marks or import stamps
- has the ramrod and an old very dry sling

The rifle has patina and browning of the metal but appears to be in nice shape and the wood is very nice. We shined a light down the barrel and the rifling looked strong.

I know very little about black powder firearms and have done a google search but the caliber being different comes up with a zero. I assume it's a reproduction because of the condition but it has a real nice vintage look to it and no modern marking of any type. Their father was not gun guy (or are they) and the only other gun related thing he had was an older Marlin 22cal rifle. The family has no history of the rifle nor do they know their father even had it until they found it in the back of a closet.

Here are a few pictures (bad) that we took in the driveway. If it turns out to be something interesting I will get better pictures

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Did you measure the bore? It  looks  like its missing the V stamp and armory eagle on the barrel. Repros have them as well so that doesn't mean much I guess. There were quite a few guys making aftermarket barrel fora while though. Also the bolster is pinned? Hard to tel on the pic

There is no sign of the V stamp or armory eagle on the barrel which I believe should be close to the date of manufacture - there is only a "P" stamp

I measured the bore with my digital caliper and it's 0.45 I'll get better pictures. What is the bolster? Should it be pinned?

The bolster would be where nipple is where the hammer drops. Usually the 1863 had an eagle on it, yours has what like like a pin going through it.

Do you have pics of it in its entirety including the barrel bands?

Here's a few more pictures. Hard to get a good over all pic due to length.

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The barrel is repro for sure, the swivel rivets look off to me but I will have to look at my original to compare . The stock might be but seem a bit thick up top like some repros but it could still be original possible. The lockplate could certainly be original fonts look right and the hammer looks right.

The real early reproductions (well they really weren't intended as anything other then a serviceable muzzleloader), often included original parts that were surplus originals.
Bannerman's (and others) used to make up rifles like this - they had tons of civil war surplus to use (100 gallon barrels full of parts), and 45 caliber was much easier to sell to poor people using black powder back in the early part of the 1900s. These would be over a 100 years old "repros with original parts at this point".
Heck they may have gotten ahold of some trapdoor parts and welded two barrels together.

I bet your right. Its.probably a Bannermans or something from that era. Either way it's a cool piece.

Very interesting, Thanks! What kind of value would something like this have? It's a great looking rifle and would look awesome hanging above the fireplace. The family has no interest in it and wants me to make an offer. They are long time friends and I want to be fair to them.

An original and complete 1863 Lock goes for a couple hundred, 250 ish.  figure stock and barrel if a shooter for another couple bones.  For a wall hanger? I wouldn't go past $350 but thats me. Might be worth more possibly but the unknown barrel maker kid of hurts it. Probably can find an N-SSA shooter that would re barrel it with a competition .58 from Whiteacre or similar ($400 barrels)

Someone probably has a better idea though.

In my opinion I would offer $300 since they are family friends. The lock is worth that, as worn that stock is an no visible cartouches, figure its worth 50 ish and the barrel being of questionable quality and manufacture is for appearances only IMHO. Numrich Arms made .45 barrels for them in the 1950s and 1960s it could be one of those but it was usually stamped as such on the side.

Basically the only thing worth anything outright for sure is the lock. (250) and maybe the stock. Maybe. The barrel might be worth a hundred but most people want them in 58 cal

This may be a "cadet rifle."