Swan Contract Virginia Militia marked musket

[Sjmarshall34]

Here's my first muzzleloader that we just picked up. Seller was in his 80's and said it was a Brown Bess that had been in his family for longer than he could remember. I realized quickly it wasn't a Brown Bess, and after a bunch of research I got it for $1100. Made in 1798 or '99 and likely saw very little use. I originally thought it was fake because of the great condition but had an antique firearms guy look at it and confirm it was legit.

 

[Keb]

Nice find.
Check it for a load down the barrel before snapping the lock.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Really cool! Is it a British gun?

 

[Sjmarshall34]

Nice find.
Check it for a load down the barrel before snapping the lock.

Yep! Already ran a bore scope down it!

 

[Sjmarshall34]

Really cool! Is it a British gun?

When Colonel Swan tried to procure the musket order he wasn't able to get them from Britain or France, so he contracted them initially from Leige, Belgium and later from Germany.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

That is absolutely amazing…wonderful.

 

[hawkeye2]

I saw your post on another forum and you may have already seen the links below but I thought I might post them for the members. Congratulations on such a great find, I'm envious.

https://www.horsesoldier.com/products/37187
https://americansocietyofarmscollec...19/06/1976-B34-Virginia-Militia-Long-Arms.pdf
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/84/173

 

[Cvkotvkse]

Love the combination of the round face lock, straight English-style lines, and the slender wrist! Does anyone know if any of the Virginia colonial-era "schools" produced rifles with a similar combo of traits?
I know that Jim Kibler doesn't leave much room for adjustment in thinning out the wrist of his VA Colonial, but I have been fighting the temptation to take my draw knife to mine in pursuit of exactly this look!
FIRST MUZZLELOADER?? DUDE! So, now you'll need something to SHOOT, and the snowball starts rolling from there...

 

[Sjmarshall34]

Love the combination of the round face lock, straight English-style lines, and the slender wrist! Does anyone know if any of the Virginia colonial-era "schools" produced rifles with a similar combo action of traits?
I know that Jim Kibler doesn't leave much room for adjustment in thinning out the wrist of his VA Colonial, but I have been fighting the temptation to take my draw knife to mine in pursuit of exactly this look!
FIRST MUZZLELOADE?? DUDE! So, now you:lol need something to SHOOT, and the snowball starts rolling from there...

I guess you could say that my first muzzleloader was a doozy! I doubt I'll ever top it. My girlfriend wants to shoot it so bad (with a very light load) but I'm saying we really (REALLY) don't want to risk ruining it!! I'm following a Thompson flintlock right now that I might need to get just to keep her from shooting this! LOL

 

[Sooty Scot]

I applaud your decision not to shoot it. It was made to shoot and the chance of damage (other than it's collector value) is small, but why risk it?
You can't lose $ on this one. It's appreciation probably beats most other investments. Like land; they aren't ever going to make more.

Good luck in your search for a shootable one (flintlock of course).