thumb|right|Springfield Model 1863 rifled musket and [[Pattern 1861 Enfield musketoon|Enfield Pattern 1861 musketoon]]
thumb|right|Springfield and Enfield lockplates
The Springfield Model 1863 was a .58 caliber rifled musket manufactured by the Springfield Armory and independent contractors between 1863 and 1865.
The Model 1863 was only a minor improvement over the Springfield Model 1861. As such, it is sometimes classified as just a variant of the Model 1861. The Model 1861, with all of its variants, was the most commonly used longarm in the American Civil War, with over 1,000,000 manufactured.
The Model 1863 also has the distinction of being the last muzzle-loading longarm produced by the Springfield Armory. It fired via percussion lock, which was much more reliable and weather resistant compared to the older flintlock muskets.
By the end of the Civil War, muzzle-loading rifles and muskets were considered obsolete. In the years following the Civil War, many Model 1863 rifled muskets were converted into breech-loading rifles. The breech-loading weapons increased the rate of fire from three to four rounds per minute to eight to ten rounds per minute. The Model 1863 could be converted to breech-loading for about $5, at a time when a new rifle would cost about $15.
The conversion of Model 1863 rifled muskets therefore represented a significant cost savings to the U.S. military. The military adopted various models like the Springfield Model 1865, Springfield Model 1866, Springfield Model 1868, and Springfield model 1870.
See also
- Springfield rifle
- Springfield musket