Z5167 Willmot's Patented Expansible Tompion for Shotguns

Description: Here is a scarce shotgun accoutrement that you don't see every day. This was manufactured for George R. Willmot under Patent No. 40,720 dated November 4, 1863. The base disc measures .703" in diameter which is too large for the .69 muskets. Tompions were used to keep the barrel of any gun free of dirt and foreign debris. The body of this tompion is made of brass with a vulcanized rubber body covered in felt. Once inserted into the barrel, you can twist the top expanding the soft rubber to form fit the barrel. This shotgun version isn't encountered as often as the .58 rifled musket version. The brass body on this example is nice and there is a visible patent date on top of the midsection. The interior vulcanized rubber piece has hardened over time and some of the felt cover is missing. George R. Willmot was based out of Meriden, Connecticut.

Marked: "Patented Nov 24 1863

Measures: OAL 1.269" Bottom disc measures .703" in diameter

Reference: "Gun Tools: Their History and Identification Vol. 2" by Dorsey and Shaffer Pg. 280

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American Civil War Relics & Military Antiques