Description

This slip case is made of vulcanized rubber coated cotton drill and measures 58″ long with the opening end 8″ wide, tapering to 6″ at the closed end. There is a 7″ flap which ties shut with unbleached herringbone cotton tape. (accommodates the m1855, m1861, m1863, and the Enfield rifle muskets all of which were 56″ or less. Note: The m1842 is 58″, the flap is sufficient to cover the end and flat of the butt and tie closed, however, a small portion of the top and bottom edge corners of the butt may be exposed where the flap folds over and the butt plate is at the end of the opening of the slip case) Military trials for musket and gun cases made from various “waterproofing” materials began as early as the 1830s. By the 1850s there were more than a few manufacturers of the article in gutta percha and vulcanized rubber. The Rubber Clothing Company was one of the premier companies dealing in such goods during the war which had distribution in all theaters from Cincinnati and Chicago to Boston, New York and Philadelphia.  They were making gun, sword, and musket cases at the onset of the war as their broadsides indicated and even advertised such items, among others, in at least one of the common commercially available military manuals during the war. D.B. Camp of Savannah, GA was a dealer and producer of all manner of goods in the prewar, wartime, and postwar period, being one of the few who survived the conflict in business. He was also one of the very few southern prewar and wartime entrepreneurs who advertised as a dealer and maker of rubber and waterproofed goods. (as an excellent single source on the subject we are happy to recommend Mike Woshner’s “India-Rubber and Gutta-Percha in the Civil War Era) As with typical rubberized materials of the period, and made utilizing these more primitive methods, the purchaser should expect some irregularities and uneven areas in the finish surface of the rubberized material. This does not mean the material is not completely coated. NOTE: These slip cases are made, copying an original piece, out of a vulcanized rubber coated cotton drill material. They are not made out of canvas duck and they do not have a heavy duty type surface such as with a haversack or pack. This is not a saddle scabbard, it is a slip case designed to keep moisture away from your musket or sword. While it could be utilized on the march it is not designed as an exposed to rigorous wear campaign accoutrement. (our research has found no such item made for such weapons of the period to be used under such stress)  It is not padded and is not an overall protective case against damage to your weapon. It is recommended that a musket/carbine/sword be wrapped or placed in a gun sock for such protection and place the rubberized case over it if that is the desired result. Furthermore, if not wrapped, it is still recommended that at least the musket/carbine hammer, or any other relatively sharp protrusion be wrapped and protected as this part may damage the case or coating if pushed or banged against it with sufficient force.