xxSOLDxx REV WAR PERIOD AMERICAN COPY OF BROWN BESS
"U S" Surcharged Circa 1778-1783
This wonderful American Rev War period musket measures 57 1/4 inches long overall and 75 3/8 inches with its original bayonet mounted. This full tiger maple stocked musket utilizes a British Long Land Pattern barrel, lock, and original bayonet. The .75 cal barrel measures 41 1/4 inches and retains the British proofs on the top of the barrel as well as a full one fourth inch "U S" surcharge at the breech just forward of the filed barrel rings (see pics). The lock is all original to this musket, is in original flint condition, and is salvaged from a "Pattern 1756" Brown Bess musket. The outer lockplate has been scrubbed (as usual when in the hands of an American gunsmith), but "Farmer" is faintly visible at the tail, and measures 7 inches long and 1 1/4 inches wide. It is a double bridle design and is stamped "FG" on the inside of the lock plate which stands for Farmer and Galton, who supplied musket parts to British Ordinance from 1758 to 1774. (1)&(2). The lock conforms to the "Pattern 1756" lock (3). The original bayonet is stamped with the British crown over 5 as well as a star stamped ( * ) above it. The star stamp ( * ) matches an inspection stamp on the butt signifying a "viewed" inspection by an American inspector from one of the numerous American repair facilities throughout the colonies (4).
The full stock is tiger maple, "only in America" with great original historic surface. The brass mounts are purely American copies of Brown Bess mounts, similar in design but simpler in execution. The latest features of the mounts which would date the musket 1778-1783 is the 4 1/4" "S" shaped sideplate (5). The original iron ramrod ferrules exhibit "Pratt's improvement", dating to 1778 (7). The "U S" surcharge at the breech of the barrel is a full 1/4 inch tall which places it circa 1778-1783. Any surcharge which is smaller places it in the post Rev War era (6).**SOLD**
Footnotes and References:
(1) "Muskets of the Revolutionary War and the French & Indian War" br Bill Ahearn, Pg 42.
(2) "British Military Long Arms in Colonial America" by Bill Ahearn & Robert Nittolo Pg 301. (3) "Pattern Dates for British Ordinance Small Arms 1718-1783" DeWitt Bailey Pg. 11. (4) "Continental Arsenal Marks and Stamps" by Rex K. Kessler. (5) "Weapons of the American Revolution" by George Neumann Pg 46-7. (6) "Muskets of the Revolution..." by Bill Ahearn Pg 46-7 & "British Military Long Arms..." by Ahearn & Nittolo. (7) "Pattern Dates..." by Bailey.
Condition: Excellent ++