Musket info

[pepperbelly]

I looked at the musket I had found in a pawn shop again today.
It is a Pedersoli 1777. The lock is stamped St. Etienne, the date is 1989, it has 2 barrel bands with spring locks. Caliber 17.50 (.69).

Would I call this a St. Etienne musket, a Charleville musket, or just a 1777 French musket?

If I bought this wouldn't it be too late for the American Revolution? I know it would be for F&I.
Would this be just for fun?
For $499.00 can I pass this up?

Jim

 

[torn moc]

A 1777 Pedersoli should have a total of 3 barrel bands.....only the one nearest the lock should have a spring........ :hmm:
the one you are looking at has 2 bands each with springs????? :hmm:
Yes...it is a St Etienne.... but is also referred to as a Charleville....

 

[pepperbelly]

It has 3 bands. The 2 closest to the lock appear to be held with springs- if what I am seeing is a spring. They look like something to press in to release the bands- right?

Jim

 

[Jumpshot]

Like one of these?

 

[JV Puleo]

As far as is known, no M1777 muskets were supplied to the United States by France. It isn't even certain that the French Regulars who fought here under Rochambeau carried them, although it is likely that they did. (I've seen it in print that they did carry them but without any substative documentary proof...it appears the author just assumed Rochambeau's army carried the latest model musket) and...I'm not sure that the Pedersoli reproduction isn't actually a copy of what is called the musket of the year IX...which is very slightly different from the M1777 in the placement of the barrel band springs, in which case the pattern actually dates from 1802. Most of these muskets are sold to European Napoleonic reenactors...who don't care a whit about the American Revolution and want what was the most common musket of the Napoleonic wars.

 

[pepperbelly]

Jumpshot, it looks like the top pic.

Jim

 

[Jumpshot]

Jumpshot, it looks like the top pic.

Jim

That's this one sold by Dixie...
[url] http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3486[/url]

And on Pedersoli's site (click on the picure to enlarge it)...
[url] http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/ArmiCategoria.aspx?CategoriaId=225&lang=en[/url]

Does everything look the same? Lock plate markings, bands, band retainers?

If it's the same one, that's one of Pedersoli's newer models.

 

[pepperbelly]

The one in the shop has a date, of manufacture?, of 1989. It's stamped 1777, Pedersoli, and some other stamps.
I am not looking at the right things I guess- both of those look like the one I saw. What is the difference, and when was the newer one made?

Jim

 

[Jumpshot]

Are you sure the number you're seeing is a year? Maybe some other type of number? I'm starting to get them mixed up now. Maybe I'll take a break and try again tomorrow. :grin:

Anyway, it looks like we've at least narrowed it down to a 1777 Charleville.

 

[pepperbelly]

I wrote down what I could remember. That may not be a year. I think it was E 1989. That might be a serial number. Someone in another post talked about his 1777 musket and sid he got it in 1989, so I may have been thinking about that.

The model stamp is Mle 1777. There were other stamps in various locations, some must be proof stamps.

I was looking at those 2 pics again. It definately looks like the top pic. The bands and spring retainers are the same.
I also remember the frizzen having the curved shape like that pic. The other pic has a more angular frizzen.

Jim

 

[oreclan]

Jim,
JV is right, it probably was not used by Continental troops. It might have been issued to the French who served here during the AWI. The United States did buy and issue some of these models after the war for the state militias.The US model 1816 copied this French musket. Also some of the earlier transitional 1812 and 1795 private contract models had some of these features. So it could be used for the early Indian Wars as well as War of 1812 militia.
In any event if it is functional it is a great price. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it myself.
YMH&OS
Ron M.

 

[torn moc]

The 1777 model has a dished out area on the butstock where the cheek rests. It also a grooved triggerguard where your fingers rest when shooting. These tow features are not on the other models.
It is a great price you are looking at.
I would not hesitate to purchase it!

******** HAPPY NEW YEAR ************

 

[Trkdriver99]

:grin: If I lived in Texas and you were not going to buy I would. That is an excellent price and I don't think you could go wrong on buying it. You could probably resale it and make a buck or off it.

Ronnie