Can anyone help me ID an original musket?

[jchochole]

I wanted to ask if anyone can help me identify the year of manufacture and/or identitity of a musket? The warranted lock is marked "J. Rideout" and the furniture is Brown Bess brass parts. Barrel is .78 caliber and has English faint markings. Can anyone give me a year of when this maker was working? I cannot find anything. The muaket is wedge-pinned and full-stocked in walnut. Overall is 63" long. I can provide images for added help.

Thanks
James Chochole

email at: [email protected]

 

[Mike Brooks]

Pictures would be a great help.

 

[jchochole]

Thanks to all who wrote to help me ID this. It seems the common idea is that this was a Rev. War era Bess re-stocked to a militia musket.

Here are links to see it: any input would be appreciated greatly.

http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/profile
http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/buttplate
http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/frontdiagonal

Thanks again,
James Chochole
[email protected]

 

[Mike Brooks]

Thanks to all who wrote to help me ID this. It seems the common idea is that this was a Rev. War era Bess re-stocked to a militia musket.

Here are links to see it: any input would be appreciated greatly.

http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/profile
http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/buttplate
http://members.aol.com:/anteekguy97/frontdiagonal

Thanks again,
James Chochole
[email protected]

Your links seem to be written in chinese. ::

 

[robinghewitt]

Can anyone give me a year of when this maker was working?

James Buchanan Rideout aka Uncle Buck 1857-1949
Long Lick? O and Helena? KY

best regards

Squire Robin

 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd say were looking at a different Rideout's work.

 

[robinghewitt]

Aren't we looking for who percussionised it from the lock name, not who made it? The only place to look for the maker is on the bottom of the barrel if the locks been replaced. Bess is a bit early for barrel maker's stamps but you never know :thumbsup:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

James are there any proof marks on the barrel? It appears to be a purpose built militia musket - what collectors call a New England Militia Musket though have seen some that came out of Maryland and Pennsylvania as well as NE states. Most date from the 1790s to the 1830s. The last one I handled had a US prooved M1816 barrel with Brown Bess style rings filed into the breach. Most of these are in US standard .69 caliber. It certainly has a civilian rifle or fowler lock. Brass hardware appears to be like a Brown Bess but it is unlikely to have ever been on an actual Bess. These purpose built militia muskets are relatively light weight compared to most military muskets and were dual purpose guns often used for hunting as well as militia duty. I think I am right about this but if not, it is still a nice, good looking little musket. Nice find.

 

[jchochole]

No markings on the underside of the barrel. Only two faint dimples where there were markings on the left side of the breech. The lockplate name is the maker of the flintlock, these normally weren't re-stamped when converted to percussion. The original lock is re-used not swapped out nor re-stamped normally on civilian weapons. Anyway, thanks for all who wrote and took time to see the piece.

Thanks
James Chochole

 

[Mike Brooks]

Here's how I see this gun. It looks to me like it was made using old 18th century brown bess parts in the 1820's using the current lock which was flint at the time. The name on the lock has nothing to do with who built the gun.

 

[robinghewitt]

That sounds likely. The longest Bess was the original Long Land pattern at 5 foot 2 inches with a 3 foot 10 inch barrel. At 5 foot 3 inches this must have been restocked if those dents are in fact English proofs :thumbsup: