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Fake or Fired Original?

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Loyalist Dave

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I can't tell if the Dragoon Musket on Gunbroker item number 743775126 (can't get the link to work) is a well made copy, or was the previous owner actually shooting an original?

It looks very well used, and the marks on the barrel look pretty good in the photographs..., although the photos of the barrel marks aren't close up enough for me...,

BUT I noticed that there is a brass, flash guard, commonly used by reenactors, on the lock, and I don't think those are original equipment. :shocked2:

SO..., I wonder if this was a very well made and well "antiqued" repro..., and the seller has no real clue about the musket (keeps referring to it as a "rifle" btw)..., or maybe the previous owner shot blanks out of it as an original and added the flash guard to comply with some site's safety rules?

LD
 
The cartouche in the stock sure looks contemporary (or at least non-period French), and the brass on the pan shield doesn't have the same sort of mustard color that older brass does. It appears there is some water damage to the butt stock, and the wood appears to be properly shrunken around the metal as well. It MIGHT be original, but then again it may be a very old re-stock, or a cleverly disguised repro. It's currently not bid (or opening bid priced) in to the stratosphere though, so hard to say. Why don't you PM Feltwad and ask his opinion?
 
A Major Clue is in the Gunbroker description:

"Charleville 1777 Dragoon Musket IX long version'

Compare that to the description in the link I provided:

"MQ131 - Charleville 1777 modifié an IX modèle de dragons et d'infanterie légère"

Of course the embolding and italics are mine.

Gus
 

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