Have to disagree with you there....maybe.....
"Rangers" were
provincial troops, not necessarily "irregulars". To discuss Rangers during the F&I one must discuss the particular unit. For example Rogers Rangers started out providing their own weapons, BUT Rogers later contracted out to have muskets made, and these were proofed by the Royal Artillery in the colonies. What the barrel length of these muskets was, is not known, but since they were paid for by
The Crown, it is thought they would have resembled a LLP Bess, a Dutch musket, or a sea service musket since the gun builder had to know what he was building, and those three muskets were widely known and accepted in British service. Rogers Rangers also had access to captured French muskets. There is NO evidence of any of Rogers muskets being "cut down". (The "barrel pieces" found on Rogers Island are a mystery.) It is HIGHLY unlikely that actual military LLP muskets, the property of The King, would've been cut down. Whether or not they would have cut down the American procured muskets after purchase and proofing is anybody's guess, but it would explain a lot..., except there is not documentation of what happened to those muskets (so far).
Durham's Rangers are not documented as having anything other than personal guns, while Rangers in Maryland (existing since the 1600's and armed by the colony) had Old versions of the LLP Bess, or a Dutch musket. Speaking of which...., "carbine" did not automatically mean a dramatically "short" barreled gun as it does in 20th and 21st century vernacular. "Carbine" could and often did mean a copy of the LLP Bess, but with a smaller caliber barrel, such as .69 or .65 caliber, and the "shortening " of the barrel might be a mere 4" or less. ( IF the British army shortened the musket..., they would've made sure it took a bayonet.)
Jump ahead to the AWI, and you have The Queen's Rangers which although provincial, were supported by the British Military, and were issued muskets. As was the Loyal American Regiment. Butler's Rangers too were supplied with British arms, but also operated with Natives, and as they were formed from refugees from NY, personal arms and/or trade guns were what they likely carried.
Now normal line sergeants and fifers in the British Army during the AWI were being issued
artillery carbines shortly after the AWI started. They were quite short but they were also .65 caliber. There is no evidence that British muskets were "cut down" for particular units during the AWI..., short muskets were made that way, and were not available in large supply.
Finally, as far as this gun goes...,
IF I dropped $1800.00 large on a musket, I'd sure as
Old Hobb's stinky backside, expect the inletting of the the lock to be a proper job and the engraving on the lock not to have "chatter marks" from improper stamping.
View attachment 42335
IF you want a short gun, suitable for an early Ranger character. I'd suggest you get a British Trade Gun, or a Carolina gun, painted in reddish brown, not the blue version.
LD
