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Title:	RIFLE/MUSKET -  JUSTICE RIFLE-MUSKET THIRD MODEL PERCUSSION .69
Maker/Manufacturer:	JUSTICE, P.S.
Date of Manufacture:	C 1861
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 2426
Measurements:	OL:140.9CM 55 1/2" BL: 99CM 39"

Object Description:

JUSTICE RIFLE-MUSKET THIRD MODEL PERCUSSION .69
Manufactured by P.S. Justice, Philadelphia, Pa. - Variant type of Justice rifle-musket. Barrel rifled with 3-grooves, M1861 style rear sight, dovetailed front blade sight and top mounted bayonet lug. Brass oval type clamping bands, brass reverse trigger guard, brass "Sharps" type patch box, and brass buttplate and nose cap. Lock is from old U.S. M1816 musket ground round at rear and reshaped. These have been called "the worst firearms ever produced for the U.S. government."

Markings:
Lock: US/P.S. JUSTICE/PHILADA.
Barrel: P.S. JUSTICE/PHILADA. (Bottom): W/637.

Notes: "A total of 2,469 .58 caliber rifles were delivered by Philip S. Justice of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early days of the Civil War, and although this quantity is believed to include a small number of pin-fastened barrel rifle-muskets of this caliber, the majority consisted of the brass and iron mounted rifles.... These, along with a similar quantity of rifled-muskets were purchased from Justice by the U.S. government for issuance to Pennsylvania volunteers, and probably among others, were issued to the Fifty-eight, Eighteenth and Ninety-eight Volunteer Infantry regiments of that state. Some of these, however, may have received Justice rifle-muskets instead of rifles.
There can be no question but that Justice furnished the government some of the most inferior arms produced during the period. This arms-maker has been accused by contemporary ordnance personnel of using erstwhile condemned barrels in the fabrication of his arms and many parts will be found poorly fitted. In spite of this, however, it will be well to mention that P.S. Justice appears to have made a genuine, conscientious effort to supply arms to the then poorly equipped Federal war machine in the quickest way possible. This he succeeded in doing, delivering many rifles and rifled-muskets before the end of 1861, many months before the first of the regular contract arms made their appearance.
The Justice arms are highly indicative of the times, clearing showing the government's readiness, during the opening months of the war, to accept virtually anything that would shoot, and with which the vast volunteer army, then assembling, could be armed." - Reilly

"The beginning of the Civil War caused a number of other gunmakers to produce their own rifle-muskets for the militia. Most who did so were located around Philadelphia and took advantage of surplus or rejected armory rifle or musket parts to quickly assemble small quantities. One of those who initially made arms in this manner was Phillip S. Justice of Philadelphia, and he eventually secured a federal contract for 4,000 rifle-muskets.
...Except for a very few pin-fastened variants, the majority of the 2,174 rifle-muskets received from Justice were the newly-made Type III variation. Most of Justice's arms were issued to the 58th, 88th, and 95th Pennsylvania Volunteers, who vociferously complained of their poor quality of workmanship." - Madaus

"...the arms furnished to my regiment prove, on trial, to be...defective...the sights are merely soldered on, though showing imitation screwheads, and come off at the gentlest handling. The screws to secure the locks are, many of them, merely stuck in, without sufficient thread, and fall out when the pieces are discharged. Many of the hammers, from weakness of the mainsprings or other causes, will not explode..." - Colonel Richter Jones, 58th Penn. Vols.

"...I have visited Camp Hamilton and inspected the arms of the 58th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, stationed at the post.
This regiment is armed with rifled muskets marked on the barrel 'P.S. Justice, Philadelphia,' and vary in caliber from .65 to .70.
I find many of them unserviceable and irreparable, from the fact that the principal parts are defective. Many of them are made up of parts of muskets to which the stamp of condemnation has been affixed by an inspecting officer. In many cases there is evidence of an attempt having been made to obliterate the letter 'C' and 'RThe bayonets are made of soft iron, and, of course, when once bent remain 'set.' In some instances where the bayonets have been marked 'C' deep indentations have been made in the attempt to erase this letter....I would respectfully recommend that the entire issue of these arms be condemned...." - 2nd Lt. William Harris, Ordnance Dept.

"In a speech on February 28, 1863, on the urgency of establishing additional government armories and foundries, Representative J.W. Wallace pointed out in the House of Representatives: 'The arms, ordnance and munitions of war bought by the Government from private contractors and foreign armories since the commencement of their manufacture, ten times as much as would establish and put into operation the armory and foundries recommended in the resolution of the committee. I understand that the Government, from the necessity of procuring a sufficient quantity of arms, has been paying, on the average, about twenty-two dollars per musket, when they could have been and could be manufactured in our national workshops for one-half that money." - Myers

Letter addressed to Supt. Whitney at SPAR from Justice & Steinmetz, dated 2/12/1858, may explain where Justice acquired some of the barrels for these weapons. "As government agent at Springfield Armory we desire to ask of you if there are any Musket barrels imperfect or otherwise to be obtained at this time if so what quantity and price.
If sales are not made privately of this article will you be good enough to inform us when the next Public sale will take place and oblige."

In 1856, Justice & Steinmetz, located in Philadelphia at the North-West corner Fifth and Commerce Sts., were selling rifles varying in price from $6.00 to $14.50.

References:
Flayderman, Norm. FLAYDERMAN'S GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AMERICAN FIREARMS...AND THEIR VALUES. 8th Ed. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 2001.
Madaus, H. Michael. THE WARNER'S COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN LONGARMS. Warner Books. N.Y., N.Y. 1981.
Myers, Gustavus. HISTORY OF GREAT AMERICAN FORTUNES. The Modern Library. N.Y., N.Y. 1936.
Reilly, Robert. UNITED STATES MILITARY SMALL ARMS 1816-1865. The Eagle Press. Baton Rouge, La. 1970.