Interesting Musket

[Swampman]

http://www.computerbrothers.co.uk/robinh/bess.html

Interesting collection of parts. I wish it could talk, and I could listen.

 

[flm_shooter]

Boy, that huge, low touch hole sure violates our forum rules!
Neat pics :thumbsup:

 

That musket must be the one Pedersoli copied. Even down to the touch hole placement. :grin:
Don

 

[Stumpkiller]

Don't know about the musket talking, but the owner can. I believe that one is owned by our very own Squire Robin. :rotf:

 

[Swampman]

Perhaps he can tell us what he knows about it.

Mark

 

[robinghewitt]

Perhaps he can tell us what he knows about it.

Not a lot to tell. I think it's one of the millions put together in a rush for the Napoleonic Wars, possibly from the piles of parts held in the tower. The lock is newer than the stock and furniture which takes the early wooden ram rod, the back of the trigger guard isn't bifurcated which is odd.

It is completely shot out, but I got it cheap :thumbsup:

 

[Swampman]

My friend Lloyd Moler sent me this on it.

"1778 Sea Service. Has been shortened from 38 inch barrel to 36 inch barrel and nosecap added. Probably by ships armorer."

I have a lot more detail on it at work and I'll try to post that tomorrow.

 

[robinghewitt]

Has been shortened from 38 inch barrel to 36 inch barrel and nosecap added

Very astute, it has indeed been shortened because there's a mark where the bayonet lug used to be :thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

The thimbles are unevenly spaced, too.

Even English mechanics usually do better than that.
:rotf:

 

[Swampman]

Here's the rest of what he sent me on it.

1. Butt plate - Sea Service 1746 and later also Militia Muskets
2. Stock- The color and texture tends to indicate that it was once painted
with black tar. Sea Service
3. Amount and pattern of rust on barrel, lock and bayonet. Indicates one
of two things, either this gun spent a considerable time around salt water,
or else the barrel, lock and bayonet are old extremely rusty replacements.
4. The Lock - Although I cannot read the markings, I believe it to be a
pattern 1756 lock. (stipulated as being on the 1778 Bright & Black)
5. The sideplate - Meets the criteria of being the same outline as the
Land Pattern, but flat. (stipulated for all Marine Muskets after the 1757
Bright & Black.)
6. Ramrod thimbles - No entry thimble. 3 upper thimbles. All for wood
rammer. Consistent for Marine/Sea Service muskets. However, look at the
forward thimble. The distance between it and the second thimble is
different. The thimble has been moved back.
6. Nosecap - Not original to the gun. A later addition. Was probably
added when the barrel which has been cut back from 38 to 36 inches long was
done.

In my opinion what you see is a 1778 Black Sea Service/Marine musket that
has seen many hours in the armory of a sea going ship.

 

[robinghewitt]

Thanks, I shall keep a copy of that :hatsoff:

The story is that it came out of a thatched roof with the bayonet on backwards. The "found in a thatch" story is fairly normal to explain a rusty gun, so it may not be true.

When I got the gun it had a thick layer of polyurethane varnish which I removed with Nitromoors and a pressure washer, I replaced a missing cross pin and the tumbler because the lock timing was way out. Also had to weld over the touch and redrill before I couldn't get any pressure up.