Potsdam

[Yagee]

Can anyone add some info. on a Flintlock Rifle with the name Potsdam on the lock????
http://home.pipeline.com/~shootzm/george/potsdam-fl-1.jpg

Thanks
Yagee

 

[rabjr]

I believe thats German. There was a Potzdamn Arsenal That made weapons for the German Army.

 

[bioprof]

The Prussian Potzdamn Arsenal made muskets with locks like that in the picture from 1723 to at least 1801. The locks on the earlier ones are more banana shaped.

Do you have any more pictures of the musket?

 

[Zonie]

I normally don't question spelling much on the forum but, I think the correct spelling is Potsdam.

Adding an "n" kinda makes it look like an editorial comment on their quality. :rotf:

 

[rabjr]

Potzdamn Arsenal is exactly the way its spelled in the Rifle Shoppe catalog.

 

[Zonie]

Yup. I don't doubt that it does.

It did get my curiosity going though.

My Britannica Atlas shows several Potsdam's in the world.
One is in New York, one is in Ohio, One is in South Africa just inland from New London on the East Coast and the one I believe we are talking about in Germany.

It is located South West of Berlin.

I didn't see anyplace in the Atlas that was called "Potsdamn" though.

 

[Yagee]

Hi bioprof,
I don't have anymore pictures. A friend has come across a few rifles, one of which is this flintlock. If I can get any more pic's, I will post them.

Yagee

 

[LaBonte]

FWIW - My original Potsdam musket built as a flint in 1820 and armory converted to percussion in 1843 is boldly engraved POTSDAM on the lockplate not Potzdamn.........

 

[Mike Brooks]

That lock has been converted back to flint . Incorrect ****....I don't know what that blob is around the pan..... :shocked2:

 

[KHickam]

flash guard perhaps?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

It looks like a flash guard to me, too. Later than the gun though.

 

[cal.43]

Potsdam

a page with a few pictures Pictures

Potsdam was one of the imperial residence of Prussia favoured by Friedrich dem Großen called der alte Fritz.

Preussische Gewehrfabrik

For more infos of the rifle a full size and more detail pictures will be helpfull.

 

[Bryanbrown]

Spelling in German is not stablized until the HochDeutch movement as part of German Unification under the Kaiser in the 1850-1870 period. Potzdam is the old school Germanic Slavik spelling Potsdam was the Frankophile spelling. Oddly on that one the Potsdam spelling will win out in modern German. So both are correct, but tend to be helpful in dating the pieces/

Bryan K. Brown www.gunsmithy.com www.jaegerkorps.org
[email protected]
[email protected]

Alle künst ist umsunst wenn ein Engle auf dem Zundlocke brünst.

 

[Stophel]

Drove me nuts. I had to go through my TRS catalog and black out all the "n"s...

I have an older catalog where it's not so offensively spelled.

 

[Yagee]

Thanks guys,
BUT
I didn't mean to start a Geography or a Spelling problem. :redface: :surrender:

Yagee

 

[wallgunner]

Yagee,
If you have it, look at the Rifle Shoppe catalog. In the Austrian and Prussian arms section, it shows many musket and musketoons with that flashgaurd. Looks period to me, early 19th century. The **** looks appropriate too. Its got that odd angle or cant to it that other Potsdamn guns have. I'd have to see more picture to debate it its reconverted or not.

 

[cal.43]

you show only the lock without pictures of the whole gun it will be not possible to name it because after lousing against Napoleon the Prussia reformed the army (1807-1813) and collected all gun they could get and repaired or restocked them for the next war.
the flintlock is old Prussia prior to 1806.

see Handfeuerwaffen und preußische Heeresreform from Arnold Wirtgen

 

[Yagee]

wallgunner & cal.43

I will try to get some better pictures, possibly this Saturday.

Yagee

 

[Story]

The stock is odd, lacking the raised portions found on the 1740 Potsdam (as used in the American Revolution). It's almost like we're seeing the wrist section of an 1809 Potsdam (http://www.cherrys.com/pedpics/S261b.jpg ).

To see what I mean, check this illustration of the 1740/1787 musket, as used during the early part of the Napoleonic Wars. http://www.napoleon-online.de/Bilder/PR_InfanteriegewehrM1789.jpg


There'd also be a lump on the tang and a wedding band at the breech end of the barrel (but we couldn't see that, due to the flashguard). Pending more photos of the weapon, I'd guess someone mated an earlier style lock to an 1809.

 

[PreglerD]

That lock has been converted back to flint . Incorrect ****....I don't know what that blob is around the pan..... :shocked2:

The "blob" around the pan is a flash guard. The Prussian Musket Mod. 1809 had a conical venthole, so that the soldier didn't have to prime the pan anymore. He had only to pure the bp downbore and set the ball. The poweder was then pressed out from the barrel through the conical venthole (conical from inner side to outside) in the pan. Because of such a big venthole there was a great blowout through this venthole which disturbed the right neighbour of the soldier when firing in the line. So a flash guard was mounted. Kal. of these muskets was .69 similar to the british. The muskets where used both by infantry of the line and "Landwehr" kind militia.

Regards

Kirrmeister