Musket action found by sprailroad and requesting help to ID

[dirtbandit]

Hello, my friend Dave or sprailroad found an old musket on a property we were metal detecting. I found this property from an old metskers map from 1937. When Dave found the musket it was very rusted of course but when he soaked it in vinegar then did electrolysis on it, it cleaned up relatively well. He was able to find some numbers and symbols which i would think ID the gun but his research came up with nothing. If you guys can help we would appreciate it. If your interested in seeing the video of the musket after it was found here is a link. We didn't get the video live unfortunately which is why dave is getting a camera on the next outing, lol.



Thanks guys!
Brian May (dirtbandit)

 

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[dirtlooter]

what an awesome find! super super super cool find! a dream find for someone like me.

 

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[Retired Sarge]

My reasoning behind the M1771 versus M1816 is the shape of the flash pan backside.

M1771 has a raised area towards the rear portion of it.

M1816 every example I've found, that raised area is absent! Granted there is always variations (Plus all I can find are converted examples of the M1816 lockplate assembly backside, so I don't know what is different on the backside of a unconverted versus converted model) and I could very well be mistaken/wrong, but I'm not finding an example that supports the M1816 theory right now.

A good picture of any markings on the front side of the lockplate would tell us for sure which it is.

See below pics.

Pic 1 OPs lockplate



Pic 2 M1771 lockplate



Pic 3 M1816 lockplate

 

[Fullstock]

And I’m basing my thought that it’s from a model 1816 versus a French 1771 because of the shape of the tail of the lock. The 1771 (pictured on the left) has a pointed tail on its locks and the 1816 is much more rounded like the dug one.

 

[Retired Sarge]

And I’m basing my thought that it’s from a model 1816 versus a French 1771 because of the shape of the tail of the lock. The 1771 (pictured on the left) has a pointed tail on its locks and the 1816 is much more rounded like the dug one.
View attachment 1672252 View attachment 1672253 View attachment 1672254

I'll concede to that argument. I, for whatever reason, failed to notice the shape of the lockplate itself. I was fixated on the shape of the brass flash pan I guess that I failed to see past it. Maybe I was blinded by the Bling aka Brass of the flash pan, yeah that's it..........That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Well done on the ID...............

 

[TimberCrack]

Seems to me that the owner of the rifle comverted from flintlock to percussion since lockplates were interchangable...hence no other pieces of the rifle were found..congrats on the find...

 

[l.cutler]

Actually the conversions were done by using the old lockplate, removing the flash pan and installing a drum or by installing a nipple directly into the top of the barrel. The flintlock hammer would be replaced with a percussion hammer. There were no interchangeable percussion locks.

 

[sprailroad]

Seems to me that the owner of the rifle comverted from flintlock to percussion since lockplates were interchangable...hence no other pieces of the rifle were found..congrats on the find...

Well, not yet. We have permission to go back, and there may not be any more pieces but I had limited time that day and was skipping most iron type signals, I think the reason I dug this is because of the brass. Going back Wednesday and WILL be digging the iron, you never know. Called and left a message for Brian and hope to be able to post the better picture of the "front" side. His second attachment didn't take. I do believe you fella's called it though as a 1816 model. Looking at other post right now in "Todays finds", really nice stuff, really nice. Hope to come up with SOMETHING good next week from the same field/area.

 

[Davers]

Good luck finding more pieces , It's fun I've done it , tho for a later model musket , I got a few small baggies with a few 6 or so pieces , some are from the lock & some , I never found the Hammer tho .

Also glad y'all got a "yes" on your permission , thought you were gonna say U got a Nadda.

That would give Tom something to comment on , I do love his Comments so no offence to him.

 

[dirtbandit]

it's in the works.

 

[dirtlooter]

great detective work, guys like me are so jealous that guys like you have access to finds like these. While I have found parts to percussion locks, none as old as these. as our history goes, this is pretty darn awesome stuff. this is a super exciting find to me. even where I am, there is rich history to be had, just have to look back and search for it. cool is a word I use a lot because it means just that, cool/awesome/wonderful/I love it. now find some more! Jerry

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I have a couple of 1816’s that have been converted and the marks on the pan look similar to arsenal marks on the ones I own, especially the “V” on what is left on the flash pans on mine, I’ll post some pictures later if I remeber. Very cool find