1728 French Musket

[Olddude]

Would a Militia member leave his musket bright in F& I and rev war?

 

[tenngun]

Most likely, men were expected to care for their equipment and have it in good working order. Many militia could not afford a musket and so it was issued by the government. He may draw it directly from government armory. It that case the local officials would take a dim view of anything that looked like neglect
This is not to say no one had a dark barrel, but browning was little done before the nineteenth century and blueing expensive. Fire blue was a very percise skill. Almost all guns we see in detail from that time are white in art.
This could be artistic license, but I would bet your best impression would be with a bright gun.
Note. Guns at sea were often tarred. And so could all be black. In shipment to protect the gun it may have came black and an owner may not have wanted to mess with cleaning it.
This was a time when snappy appearance far out paced comfort and even practical

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Would a Militia member leave his musket bright in F& I and rev war?

I believe the best answer may be ... they would try to! As Tenngun says, likely it was enforced for discipline, as well as functional reasons. Curiously, one will read about how the dreaded Anglais troops were issued brick dust to keep their firelocks clean and/or polished, but I never read a similar statement for the French.

Another curiosity, browning as a metal finish was well known in the 1700s, but apparently not practiced too often.

 

[FlinterNick]

All French Muskets were left Bright around 320-600 never stained or browned, if they were it was by a civilian that given ownership of the musket.

An aged musket would hold a polish to around 320 - 400 grit, and it was a brushed type of finish never a gloss maybe a knife like satin.

The original 1728, and 1763-1777’s that I’ve seen none were browned, many of of them had been varnished over with a thin varnish (not linseed in two or more from separate collections), which I do believe was done by the French Armories and not by their owners. The varnish aged to a yellowish tint in direct sunlight and is visible around handling marks such as the trigger guard and side plate. This could have been done purposely or done when the guns were first assembled.

I had asked Jess Melot about this varnish, he seems to believe they were varnished by the french and then some of the Americans that were issued the guns polished it off of the barrel as they didn’t have the means to touch it up.

Many originals have developed patinas from use, the wrought iron parts aged dark on many.

Militiamen that were issued government owned muskets would have to follow ordinance rules and care for those guns as required.

Were these rules broken ? I’m sure they were however I don’t think its likely that a farmer / militiaman would have the means to brown a musket, they would simply just let it go black as wrought iron of the age tended to darken.

The only browned flintlock muskets i’ve ever come across were US1816’s and common rifles.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Would a Militia member leave his musket bright in F& I and rev war?

Well their "bright" wasn't the same as the glossy mirror finish one finds on the India origin muskets, and was even duller than what you get on an out-of-the-box Pedersoli.

So the best "modern" method I've seen, is to get an abrasive pad normally used for a ceramic stovetop..., they are usually yellow..., you can find them at the warehouse home improvement stores if not at the supermarket. Use the "yellow scrubbie" and not a "green [pots and pans] scrubbie" for the barrel and the lock, and you will get a duller, gunmetal gray.

LD

 

[FlinterNick]

Well their "bright" wasn't the same as the glossy mirror finish one finds on the India origin muskets, and was even duller than what you get on an out-of-the-box Pedersoli.

So the best "modern" method I've seen, is to get an abrasive pad normally used for a ceramic stovetop..., they are usually yellow..., you can find them at the warehouse home improvement stores if not at the supermarket. Use the "yellow scrubbie" and not a "green [pots and pans] scrubbie" for the barrel and the lock, and you will get a duller, gunmetal gray.

LD

I use goats hair brushes from Rio Grande, it leaves a nice frosted like Finnish on bright parts, kind of a cross between bright and aged.

The Indian Gun Makers use either a Brilliant White compound or a Ruby Red compound, not suitable for guns at all the problem when someone needs to repolish these parts to a more authentic finish, you have to start very low around 120 grit and then work up to 400, this causes a lot of material to be removed.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I use goats hair brushes from Rio Grande, it leaves a nice frosted like Finnish on bright parts, kind of a cross between bright and aged.

The Indian Gun Makers use either a Brilliant White compound or a Ruby Red compound, not suitable for guns at all the problem when someone needs to repolish these parts to a more authentic finish, you have to start very low around 120 grit and then work up to 400, this causes a lot of material to be removed.

Nah, we just removed the rust with the yellow scrubbies, Italian or India origin, works just fine...

LD

 

[JackP]

Old Dude, do you have a 1728 musket, If so might I ask where you found it. I have a india 1766 which I have reworked and really love it. I'm Looking at their 1728, I think it is a bad disease

Jack

 

[FlinterNick]

Old Dude, do you have a 1728 musket, If so might I ask where you found it. I have a india 1766 which I have reworked and really love it. I'm Looking at their 1728, I think it is a bad disease

Jack

The loyalist arms 1728 is a nice gun. Stocked in Rosewood, which is much heavier and harder than walnut.

An original 1728 was really a fusil, as it weighed almost under 8 lbs.

The loyalist arms 1728 is a hearty 10-12 lbs.

Its a nice gun, but way oversized.

The 1728 by Loyalist is really more related to a 1754 which weighed around 10 lbs.. You could actually defarb this gun easily to make it a 1754 by changing the barrel bands and adding a middle band spring.

The only thing you can’t change is the sling lug which is positioned on the side plate area through the lock mortise.

If you request their kit, it’s likely not drilled for it. Then you’d cut the trigger guard , and add a sling lug and then cross pin it.

When working on the rosewood stock, I recommend drilling pin holes just slightly larger with highly polished and lubricated pins. The rosewood is very hard, and closed grained is subject to splitting if too much pressure is a added.

 

[JackP]

Thanks FlinterNick, A Kit would be a good way to go, It might not have some of the things that can't be undone.

Jack

 

[Olddude]

Access Heritage of Cananda. I had ordered one from Veterans arms but after 4 months of delays. I cancelled the order and promptly in a week Got one. hardest part was drilling the vent. Metal was very hard and kept breaking the small bits

 

[JackP]

Access Heritage of Cananda. I had ordered one from Veterans arms but after 4 months of delays. I cancelled the order and promptly in a week Got one. hardest part was drilling the vent. Metal was very hard and kept breaking the small bits

I got my 1766 Charleville from Accsess Heritage about 3 wks ago. I didn't have any trouble drilling the touch hole. I tapped mine and installed a vent liner. I used acetone to remove the finish and stained the stock with fiebings dark brown leather die. It now looks just like black walnut. Thinking about the 1728. What do you think of it so far.