Challenge Can you ID this smoothbore?

[stevemezz]

Hey guys. I posted in flintlock and it was suggested I post here as well. This gun has probably been shortened along its lifetime- barrel is only 24" long. Wood is probably walnut (fairly certain). Other than that I'm not too sure on info... Lock English? Someone suggested because of the cheek depression in the stock that the stock is French. HELP!!

 

[Farren55]

Can I get a pressing of the proof mark, still?

 

[stevemezz]

Absolutely. How do I do that?

 

[kingsax26]

the flat butt and straight lines remind me of a trade gun... but thats the best I got...I dont think trade guns had barrel bands tho....hmmmmmm

 

[Farren55]

take a piece of paper, place it on the marks then with a pencil lightly rub the side of the lead against the marks.

 

[stevemezz]

By trade gun do you mean a replica?

 

[Farren55]

take a piece of paper, place it on the marks then with a pencil lightly rub the side of the lead against the marks.

By against the marks I mean on the paper on-top of the marks

 

[Knapper51]

It has a number of features that make me think French 1777 Army musket.

Knap

 

[Farren55]

Problem with that the stock shape is off for a French musket, the bands are brass rather that the common iron or steel, and the lock is wrong.

 

[bpd303]

Hard to tell, but the barrel marks look like B.S.A. Birmingham England 1885. Should have BSA at the bottom.

 

[Farren55]

but the lock is flint, and to my knowledge flint locks and barrels had been completely replaced in Europe and the US, and the few flint locks that were had were either special made trade guns, or Surplus that wasn't converted to percussion/Cartridge.

 

[Bert]

Possibly a Potsdam musket. M 1809??

 

[Farren55]

It looks like one yes, Though the Proof mark is still bugging me.

 

[pargent]

At best a trade musket made up from some surplus parts .

 

[stevemezz]

I'm sorry but there is no way I can get a readable rubbing of the marks. Just won't come out right. I tried NUMEROUS times.... But I took some more pics maybe that will help.

 

[stevemezz]

London proof? Crown over V? Used as far back as 1670?....

 

[Farren55]

This is confusing then the gun appears to be a cut down Potsdam musket, but has a British lock, Proof mark, and brass. I must know more.

 

[robert reed]

How do we know it is cut down?
This may be the the real deal. The ever elusive musketoon. :idunno:

 

[Farren55]

It might, but the lack of flaring on the end of the barrel, along with how the ramrod is held in (which in itself is weird, using the barrel bands but no entry thimble) suggests to me no.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Nothing unusual. It is a cut down smoothbore infantry musket, certainly not a musketoon. The proofs are not British and the bands are quite normal, banded muskets did not have thimbles, they didn't need them. It is likely Germanic but not Prussian, possibly Saxon.