Hey gang!
This is a piece I picked up this week. It's a Needham Conversion to breechloading of the Model 1861 percussion rifle musket made originally with the stock and barrel bands of the 1863 musket. They were converted to breechloaders about 1869 at Trenton NJ. Many are Bridesburgs because of a connection to a war time contract through Jenks & Son. These guns had a history of belonging to the Fenian Brotherhood of Irish Americans, 600 of whom, fought a group of Canadians in 1866 above Niagara at Ridgeway before retreating and being arrested by US authorities. These conversions are said to be chambered for a 58 centerfire cartridge. They were also later in the inventory of Bannerman in the 1920's.
Here is my example.
This is a piece I picked up this week. It's a Needham Conversion to breechloading of the Model 1861 percussion rifle musket made originally with the stock and barrel bands of the 1863 musket. They were converted to breechloaders about 1869 at Trenton NJ. Many are Bridesburgs because of a connection to a war time contract through Jenks & Son. These guns had a history of belonging to the Fenian Brotherhood of Irish Americans, 600 of whom, fought a group of Canadians in 1866 above Niagara at Ridgeway before retreating and being arrested by US authorities. These conversions are said to be chambered for a 58 centerfire cartridge. They were also later in the inventory of Bannerman in the 1920's.
Here is my example.
If only Bannermans still existed 
