Need help identifying old civil war musket

[marsh trapper]

I have an old musket from a civil war collector . All that is written on it is 8 . Not sure if its number 8produced ? Sorry for pics all i had was cell. Barrel sticks out few inches from stock. Its relatively light and short. Any ideas guys

 

[Grenadier1758]

What is the caliber?

Is it rifled or smooth?

 

[TFoley]

It looks way too crude in every respect to have been an arm used in the WoNA. I'm viewing it with extreme suspicion.

 

[marsh trapper]

What is the caliber?

Is it rifled or smooth?

Notsure on caliber . It is smoothed

 

[TFoley]

I've spent some of what is left of my life looking at this gun, and I've concluded that is is, in fact, a complete frawk, a portmanteau word meaning a decoration piece that looks something like an old-style firearm that is used to jolly-up the interior of trendy pub somewhere. The crudeness of the manufacture tells me that it may never have been intended to be fired at all. The cast-in sling 'swivel' lug on the trigger guard is nothing like anything thing I've ever seen before, but the clincher, for me, is that the barrel and lock appear to be cast in one piece (????).

However, there is the proviso that I've not seen everything there is, as I'm shown every time I log onto this site.

PLEASE don't try and fire it.

 

[Treestalker]

If it is authentic to the time, could it be a 'hurry up' piece from spare parts? Or a civilian rework for a shotgun? The lug on the triggerguard throws me, too. Do you know where it was found? TFoley may be correct, I've seen some horrible frankensteins used for wall hangers. This one, ( and I'm no way an expert) has just enough validity to be an expedient, cheap way to shoot rabbits. I hope we can learn more from someone here on the Forum.

 

[madsweeney]

Barrel appears to be from an 1842 Austrian. Lockplate also looks austrian, but much earlier. CSA bought a lot of 70 cal Austrian SB flintlocks that had been converted to percussion

 

[TFoley]

If it is authentic to the time, could it be a 'hurry up' piece from spare parts? Or a civilian rework for a shotgun? The lug on the triggerguard throws me, too. Do you know where it was found? TFoley may be correct, I've seen some horrible frankensteins used for wall hangers. This one, ( and I'm no way an expert) has just enough validity to be an expedient, cheap way to shoot rabbits. I hope we can learn more from someone here on the Forum.

IMO you'd be a lot safer using it as a club.

 

[TFoley]

If you are thinking of the Lorenz musket in any form the bolster is one the barrel, but non part of the lockplate.

 

[cositrike]

I've spent some of what is left of my life looking at this gun, and I've concluded that is is, in fact, a complete frawk, a portmanteau word meaning a decoration piece that looks something like an old-style firearm that is used to jolly-up the interior of trendy pub somewhere. The crudeness of the manufacture tells me that it may never have been intended to be fired at all. The cast-in sling 'swivel' lug on the trigger guard is nothing like anything thing I've ever seen before, but the clincher, for me, is that the barrel and lock appear to be cast in one piece (????).

However, there is the proviso that I've not seen everything there is, as I'm shown every time I log onto this site.

PLEASE don't try and fire it.

Hi Tac. Your eyes are probably better than mine, but I think it’s a Lorenz of some sort. I’ve had a look at a few pictures and some of them have the lug for a sling swivel on the trigger guard. I’m not sure about the lock/ barrel thing, but it looks very much to me like a confederate style conversion from flint. May be totally wrong. That wouldn’t be unusual

 

[SDSmlf]

Don’t think it is a Lorenz. Here are a couple of photographs of what is left of one (it has recently been through a fire.... maybe a future restoration project) from about the same angle as OP photograph #3.

 

[TFoley]

I'm here to learn, Gentlemen.

 

[hawkeye2]

Marsh trapper, I tried to send you a PM with a link to another forum where you might get the info you are seeking but apparently you do not allow PMs. We are not allowed to link to other muzzleloading forums per our rules.

 

[hawkeye2]

I don't see anything here that is crude or says it was built up of old parts. It's far from the best condition which may give it a crude apperance and to me it looks like all the parts belong together. Both sides imported countless numbers of European firearms of all styles and this could be one of the lesser known. The Union bought them to keep them out of the south's hands and few of these were issued, the south bought them to use. I have never seen a musket like this one but it's possible it was among those imported by one side or the other. My WAG is that it's a post 1800 gun converted from flint and probably was considered obsolete by the 1850s. It would be nice to see a full length photo and photos of the front band, bayonet lug and nose cap.

 

[marsh trapper]

Hey guys heres a few more pics i had on my phone

 

[cositrike]

Don’t think it is a Lorenz. Here are a couple of photographs of what is left of one (it has recently been through a fire.... maybe a future restoration project) from about the same angle as OP photograph #3. View attachment 12228

View attachment 12229

That one was built as a percussion, I think. The op’s was originally flint. I saw a picture of one very similar when I googled Lorenz flintlock musket, but then lost it some2here when trying to copy it

 

[marsh trapper]

Hope the new pics loaded

 

[hawkeye2]

They did but could I suggest you use the edit feature to lighten them somewhat, much more detail would show.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I use a fill in flash to get more detail.
This isn't natural light, I used a fill in flash.

 

[WKD]

It looks like a conversion from a model 1816 US musket that was originally flint. There were a number of armory conversions to percussion using old military guns that were in stock.
PS
I am continually surprised at the amount of misinformation given out by people who don't have a clue what they are talking about