A Historic Brown Bess

[hawkeye1755]

Interessting Revolutionary War Brown Bess musket with bayonet. Cal. 80. 41-3/8” rnd bbl. The lockplate is marked “EDGE / 1762” vertically at the rear. A crown over “GR” is engraved in front of the lightly engraved swan neck cock. Top of bbl is marked “63d”. Upper tang of the brass buttplate is engraved “R. E. / castle / 1690”. “RE” is branded on both sides of the stock near the butt. Counter- plate is engraved with a snake. Trigger guard and tailpipe have similar engraving. This engraving is probably American. This is identified by Blackmore as a “militia and marine” pattern but the marks on the bbl indicate 63d Regt of Inf, which saw service at Bunker Hill, and the “RE” markings indicate Royal Engineers. The 16-1/4” triangular socket bayonet is marked “S·HILL / 4F” on the top of the blade and “F / 67” on the socket. The bayonet lug on top of the bbl has been modified to accept a sight blade. Lockplate is marked “R. E. / * / keyhole” beneath the pan inside.

:hatsoff:

 

[Many Klatch]

Undertaker, you don't happen to have a closeup picture of that modified front sight/bayonet lug do you? That just might be handy to have.

Many Klatch

 

[hawkeye1755]

Sorry MK, that were all the pics i have.
:hatsoff:

 

[Carteret Kid]

That is a French flint .

 

[tg]

I have read that it was not uncommon for French flints to be used in English military guns, particulary before the English caught on to the French manufacturing methods.

 

[RangerThacher]

Yep, French amber flints were by far the most common type used in the 18th century by both British and French until the late 18th and early 19th century.

 

[Blackpowder Injun]

That is a French flint .

this guy knows his flints... :bow: I wouldn't know a french flint from a french harp...lol

 

[Russianblood]

It's simple really. French flints are amber and English flints are gray/black.

 

[tg]

The shape of the French flints was also unigue untill others started using the same manufacuring method...