French 1766 Musket

[rickystl]

Hey Guys. Look what I found !!! Looks like one of the original Mirouku muskets. The barrel is marked Navy Arms Company Ridge Field. NJ USA It's in untouched condition, still in it's original box. Not a mark on it.
What a lucky find. Wonder where it's been sitting all these years ??

Rick

 

[Grenadier1758]

You did indeed find a prize to brag about!

 

[ord sgt]

That touch hole appears to be very low in relation to the pan. My Pedersoli Charleville was like that when I bought mine. I experienced many pan flashes. I had a machinist drill the barrel so I could install a touch hole liner, raising the touch hole. Ignition was greatly improved.
Good luck with your new musket.

 

[rickystl]

Hi Ord

Yes, that touch hole was the first thing I noticed. Not a little low, but way too low. LOL I'll just have it plugged and re-drill in the right location.
Appears to be made very well. I once found one of the Brown Bess muskets in a pawn shop around 1981. Should have kept that one.

Rick

 

[BillinOregon]

Geez, Rick, you find the best darned stuff!

 

[JohnnieT]

Yup, you’ve about won the lottery on that one. Nice find!

 

[Heyyou48307]

On man! guy I know came up with a bess in the same condition, shot it once and sold it,,,,,,,didn't like it,,,,,silly boy

 

[rickystl]

Thanks guys for your replies. Too bad about the vent hole location. The gun does indeed look well made. Similar quality and finish like my Spanish Mendi musket. Actually, I've always wanted one of these. Figured I would find one one of these days. But never thought it would be one that was still new in the original box. LOL So I had to jump on it.

Rick

 

[FlinterNick]

the Miroku vent locations are almost all the same, Just’s at the sunrise position from the bottom of the pan. As far as the quality of the vent hole, I don’t think my miroku charleville has ever missfired once.

The touch hole is perfectly aligned with the breech and the breech plug face has a notch machined in it where the touch Hole lines up, this helps a lot with the consistent fireing of the musket.

My Italian 1763 has a touch hole that is hire and is aligned at the breech and will misfire once in 10 rounds it I don’t clean the area off and pick the vent.

Looking at some origional pictures of 1766’s I have, the touch holes vary a lot, but its hard to tell since many are blown out.

Personally, I’d leave it alone, there’s no need for a vent hole liner on It.

 

[3Setters]

Great find. I never get that lucky

 

[MAPMFF]

Wow! On the hunt for a 66 Charleville and a Miroku is top of the list! Beauty!