The Spanish Miquelet musket

[Ashton Daniels]

A short video I made on the Spanish miquelet musket of the 18th century.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Pretty amazing, especially how your miquelet can change from being right handed to left handed.

Hint: when shooting selfies, select the reverse image or not shoot as a mirror.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Another nicely done video. That’s a nice musket and seems to have a fast ignition.
Nice kit, too. From the video you look quite period authentic and well appointed.
Is the musket a custom build or from a supplier?
One thing I think about is that sear releasing design. Obviously it worked well and so forth, but I wonder how long before that contact wore down.

Oh, and good music also

 

[Ashton Daniels]

Another nicely done video. That’s a nice musket and seems to have a fast ignition.
Nice kit, too. From the video you look quite period authentic and well appointed.
Is the musket a custom build or from a supplier?
One thing I think about is that sear releasing design. Obviously it worked well and so forth, but I wonder how long before that contact wore down.

Oh, and good music also

It is an India built gun, that I obtained from loyalist arms in Canada. As for the sear, it is quite robust and I don't forsee the sear wearing, but if it does, it will be much more easily identified and fixed, than conventional flintlocks.

Appreciate the kind response.

 

[Ashton Daniels]

Pretty amazing, especially how your miquelet can change from being right handed to left handed.

Hint: when shooting selfies, select the reverse image or not shoot as a mirror.

Thank you for your kind response

 

[rickystl]

Thanks for the video. Spanish guns in general, and miquelets in particular have seemed to be under represented in the muzzle loading hobby. Possibly due to a lack of available guns in general. And the lack of readily available, completed locks. So nice to see a user pop up every once in a while.
Interesting that the Spanish military changed from using the miquelet lock to the French style flintlock about 1750. Then changed back to the miquelet lock about 1790, believing the miquelet was stronger.

Rick

 

[CyrusP]

Great video! Everything. Dress, firearm. Your presentation. That looks like a pretty good quality piece. Well done!

 

[Sam squanch]

Another nicely done video. That’s a nice musket and seems to have a fast ignition.
Nice kit, too. From the video you look quite period authentic and well appointed.
Is the musket a custom build or from a supplier?
One thing I think about is that sear releasing design. Obviously it worked well and so forth, but I wonder how long before that contact wore down.

Oh, and good music also

With modern steel, and regular greasing, the sear will be fine. The trigger pull is different though, I wouldn’t use in on a target rifle!

 

[Mcat]

Just purchased this antique escopeta at an online auction in Southern Ontario. Waiting for delivery.

 

[BillinOregon]

Thanks for posting that Youtube Ashton. Subscribed to your channel.

 

[rickystl]

Just purchased this antique escopeta at an online auction in Southern Ontario. Waiting for delivery.

Mcat: Congratulations. Looks like a nice piece. Appears to be a full-stock, which don't come up for sale nearly as often as the half-stock sporting guns. Please post photos after you receive it.
That 1750-1790 period I mention above: During this time, even with the Spanish military specifying the French style flintlock for their muskets, local gunsmiths and their customers still preferred the miquelet lock for their sporting guns. And looking at originals available today confirms this.

Rick

 

[Mcat]

Mcat: Congratulations. Looks like a nice piece. Appears to be a full-stock, which don't come up for sale nearly as often as the half-stock sporting guns. Please post photos after you receive it.
That 1750-1790 period I mention above: During this time, even with the Spanish military specifying the French style flintlock for their muskets, local gunsmiths and their customers still preferred the miquelet lock for their sporting guns. And looking at originals available today confirms this.

Rick

Thanks a lot Rick. I’ll definitely take photos when I get it and have a chance to explore it. Here are a couple of other photos from the web. The lock seems to have the text Ernaro on it and the date 177? From my brief searches the only hit I get on Ernaro is a populated town in East Timor which I believe was a Portuguese colony.

I’m posting these photos since it may be a while until I see the musket because of the Canada postal strike and its difficulties.

 

[rickystl]

Hi again Mcat. Fell asleep way too early. So I'm now awake way too early. LOL

Thanks for the extra photos. Sorry to hear about the Canadian Postal strike. Possibly, you might be able to have the shipment handled by a separate independent courier such as DHL, UPS, FEDEX, etc. ? Unless they too have climbed on the strike bandwagon.

Anyway, looking at the dark photos, it appears to be an excellent example of a 4th quarter, 18th century Spanish escopeta. Looks complete, all original, and not altered or otherwise monkeyed with. The name on the lock plate could be the name of just the lock maker himself, or the complete gunsmith. The barrel stamps may give us an additional clue. That some of the gold filling is missing is very common. The gun looks like it was used, but not abused. Nice, dark even patina throughout. Some of the writing on the lock plate is likely covered up by the mainspring and the toe of the cock. Spanish type gunsmiths residing in Portugal and vise-versa was common. The year of the gun is often engraved on the front of the frizzen. Even the hardware (side plate, trigger & guard, barrel bands, and ramrod) all look correct. Just a very good example of a typical Spanish escopeta. Nice find.

When you do post photos, suggest you post them on a new Tread in the "Original Antique Guns" section here on the Forum. Will be fun further investigation this one.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

It seems Loyalist no longer carries this musket. I had heard hat it was a short-lived musket for them. So it sounds like the OP is lucky to have one. Congrats. Would be nice to find out which Indian factory made the lock.

 

[Colonial Boy]

Nice, very nice.
Have always liked the Miquelet lock but could never afford one, they’re very rare in Australia.