Before/After Potsdam Musket

[Jerry4History]

Some Before and After pics of a Prussian Danzig/Potsdam Musket likely used in the Civil War. It came to our collection with some sort of brown paint and thick plastic coating. Plus all of the metal pieces had been painted gold. It looked like a McDonald's toy!! It was one of the most intense conservation projects I've tackled so far.

 

[hawkeye2]

Nice work on an underappreciated Civil War gun. Though it wasn't well liked by the troops because of the recoil it served both sides. The Rifle Shoppe carries reproduction parts and there are some parts on eBay. I believe your trigger guard is bent. The first blackpowder gun I ever shot was a Potsdam, 65 years ago, still have it.

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/german_arms/(777)_1809.htm

 

[Jerry4History]

Nice work on an underappreciated Civil War gun. Though it wasn't well liked by the troops because of the recoil it served both sides. The Rifle Shoppe carries reproduction parts and there are some parts on eBay. I believe your trigger guard is bent. The first blackpowder gun I ever shot was a Potsdam, 65 years ago, still have it.

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/german_arms/(777)_1809.htm

Thank you. Do you happen to have any sources about the recoil? I assumed they were quickly replaced due to their smooth bore. I also read this model was almost entirely used by the North since Prussia was looking to sell them so quickly and cheaply since they were in the middle of upgrading. It is a weak explanation, but I'm also searching for sources about that as well

 

[hawkeye2]

Some of the reading I have done over a lifetime and the I've seen the references to the recoil and the troops dislike in more than one place. In truth some of the complaints may have come from the soldiers' disappointment at being issued an out of date foreign musket, they were pretty much universally disliked. The north bought most of them but the south had some. I have seen records where they have been cleaned/repaired (Captured & Collected) and reissued at Confederate arsenals though not many.