Harpers Ferry Armory Guns
Ruins of the U.S. Armory on the banks of the Potomac River at it's junction with the Shenandoah River, Harpers Ferry, Virginia during the Civil War. The B&O Railroad bridge across the Potomac River is at top center, destroyed and rebuilt 9 times during the Civli War.
Harpers Ferry Armory Guns.com is dedicated to the history of the manufacture of muskets, rifles, pistols and other war ordnance at the United States Armory & Arsenal, 1800-1861 on the banks of the Potomac River, and the Hall Rifle Works on the banks of the Shenandoah River 1819-1861 in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia)
Ruins of the Hall Rifle Works/ US Rifle Works on the banks of the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, burned June 28, 1861 at the beginnig of the Civil War
Please feel free to contact us for a FREE evaluation of any Civil War era gun, collections or estates you may have. We only ask, if possible, you travel to the Washington DC/ Harpers Ferry WV area or email with photos for an honest evaluation of your collection by our long time professional evaluators of Civil War and Harpers Ferry guns, with our references readily available.
Contact information below.
Your web host Jim Prentice grew up in Harpers Ferry as the son of Park Superintendent Joseph R. Prentice and his Mom, Helen Portell Prentice, moving there in 1961. Jim lived in other National Parks as a youth, but Harpers Ferry is his home town. He has been described as "a Virginian at heart and has an intimate perspective of Harpers Ferry and it's history of weapons manufacturing". He currently volunteers at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park with Visitor's Services, as a volunteer staff member and new in 2013 as a Certified Park Tour Guide.
Here is Jim doing a volunteer firearm display at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in spring 2014 in the back room of the Master Armorers House in historic Lower Town Harpers Ferry. One rack shows an example of every Model gun made at the great United States Armory at Harpers Ferry, and the other rack shows one of every Model rifle made at the Hall Rifle Works on the banks of the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, after 1841 known as the U.S. Rifle Works.
Our next scheduled firearm display is set for Sunday, October, 2014
11 am - 4:30pm. Please come visit!
New in 2013
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is proud to announce a new
Certified Park Tour Guide program. Similar to Gettysburg and Antietam National Battlefield Park tour guides, for a nominal fee you can secure your own Park Tour Guide for a 2- 1/2 hr. guided visit to historic Harpers Ferry. You can choose from the many layers of history at Harpers Ferry to suit your points of interest. Just contact the Harpers Ferry Park Association, www.harpersferryhistory.org or phone 304-535-6881 or check this link www.harpersferryhistory.org/certified-guide-tours The folks at HFNHP would love to see you!
Original extremely rare Model 1836 Hall breechloading carbine in .64 caliber smoothbore barrel, breechblock dated 1837, 22'' angular bayonet slotted under barrel to slide in and out as needed. First and only Hall gun made in original percussion cap firing system. 1st production of 1,000 carbines had stock storage area with brass hinged cover plate. Total 1st & 2nd production 2,020. Issued mainly to 2nd US Dragoons for the Seminole Wars. 1st PERCUSSION CAP WEAPON ACCEPTED BY THE U.S ARMY.
Same M1795 musket, converted to percusion by drum conversion, lock plate dated 1801, serial number N1402 stamped on barrel and butt plate. One of the oldest guns originally made at Harpers Ferry in existence today. Initials on the stock link the gun to a family in New England, and was briefly used in the Civil War.
American Civil War Show
Here are some photos of our gun display at the NVRHA American Civil War Show in Fredericksburg, VA, April 8-9, 2011. Great show for Harpers Ferry Armory Guns!
NVRHA Civil War Show April 13-14, 2012
At the April 2012 NVRHA Civil War Show in Fredericksburg, VA,
Harpers Ferry Armory Guns representative Jim Prentice (at left) accepts
Most Educational Award for the Show. Many thanks to the Board of NVRHA and Lewis Leigh for having us at their great show. Please come to the show in Fredericksburg, VA in 2018!
http://www.nvrha.com
Harpers Ferry Armory Guns representative Jim Prentice (at left) accepts
Most Educational Award for the Show. Many thanks to the Board of NVRHA and Lewis Leigh for having us at their great show. Please come to the show in Fredericksburg, VA in 2018!
http://www.nvrha.com
September 15, 2012 gun display at the KOA, Harpers Ferry, WV
September 15, 2012 display at the Harpers Ferry KOA campground. 150 years to the day of Stonewall Jackson's capture of 12,700 Union troops at Harpers Ferry. This was the largest capture of Union troops during the Civil War, and the largest capture of American soldiers until the Battle of Bataan, 80 some years later.
The KOA at Harpers Ferry offers campers and visitors a great look at Civil War history and local flavor at Harpers Ferry, WV. The KOA camp is located on Cavalier Heights, a noted Civil War battlefield and the site of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill's artillery emplacement in the capture of Harpers Ferry, September 15, 1862.
Also pictured is my friend Buster of the Bluegrass band Patent Pending, one of the longest lasting old time real bluegrass bands. They played at Harpers Ferry KOA after our display weekend and boy are they good! Check them out on patentpendingband.com/
The KOA at Harpers Ferry offers campers and visitors a great look at Civil War history and local flavor at Harpers Ferry, WV. The KOA camp is located on Cavalier Heights, a noted Civil War battlefield and the site of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill's artillery emplacement in the capture of Harpers Ferry, September 15, 1862.
Also pictured is my friend Buster of the Bluegrass band Patent Pending, one of the longest lasting old time real bluegrass bands. They played at Harpers Ferry KOA after our display weekend and boy are they good! Check them out on patentpendingband.com/
A must do is a visit Mr. Rick Hudak's website
http://www.harpersferryarsenal.com/
Mr. Hudak concentrates on the very early years of the Harpers Ferry Armory, the era of Joseph Perkin, Superintendent of the Armory during it's earliest formative years. His new book is well worth reading.
http://www.harpersferryarsenal.com/
Mr. Hudak concentrates on the very early years of the Harpers Ferry Armory, the era of Joseph Perkin, Superintendent of the Armory during it's earliest formative years. His new book is well worth reading.