“Don't think they know much about muzzleloader or guns in general”
That’s interesting…and highly unlikely….more than likely they are luring you in with the “…We are just dumb hicks and don’t know what we got here…” schtick.
It is likely a reproduction of low comparative value.
I know the area well, and pretty much every pawn shop knows firearms, especially black powder arms and historic makers up here.
This is gun country far as the communities go. If you don’t own firearms you are in the absolute minority here. Whether you are poor or wealthy, educated or not, people know guns and farm equipment up here….including high value arms.
Buffalo Arms is up in Ponderay, about an hour and half north of St Marie’s for a reason.
40 minutes from St. Marie’s is the Hayden and the CDA area….two things common there….uber affluent people and dedicated black powder shooters and collectors with incredible black powder firearm collections.
From south of St Marie’s to north of Bonners Ferry all the way to the Canadian border, word travels fast on things like this.
If it was worth having at $1800 it would have been long gone.
Long story short, it is more than likely, that the Pawn Shop knows what it has, one way or the other. Don’t get played. You do not know more than them, they know their business. I agree with everyone here, avoid the place.