1777 Short Land Brown Bess, Militia?

[Lincolnsreg]

Another one for the floor - this is essentially a 1777 Short Land in everything - except it has a 46" Long Land barrel (should be 42") and only three rod pipes (should be 4) - the leader being short (though there has been damage at the end of the stock so this pipe might have been replaced). The trigger guard is slightly simplified and has two screws (but not India Pattern) and the cock is the Long Land pattern. Earlier patterns for militia had three pipes - so that's my thinking. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Yes, it might be a militia or volunteer musket. The front pipe almost looks like the first pipe used on the pattern 1776 muzzleloading rifle. I wonder if it is a product of the 1790s when Britain was desperately short of arms and made and bought arms from whatever sources they could find.

dave

 

[Grenadier1758]

In 1777, that would have been a front line arm. Militia doesn't get front line arms. I agree with @dave_person that is a musket made from available arms parts inventory.

 

[FlinterNick]

Looks a Brown Bess made with surplus parts. The lock is a 1755 lock with a later pattern frizzen spring. Side plate is second model. Thimbles don’t match any specific pattern but a of British ordinance detail. Butt Plate is second model.

Stock looks like a fusil Stock or it may be have been restocked.

1755 pattern long lands were made into the 1790’s for militia and home guard use, its possible this is one of the later guns produced.

Agree with Dave about the thimble, looks like a 1776 rifle thimble, they were somewhat bigger in diameter because the steel rod was heavier and there was a 3-4” ramrod spring that fit inside the first thimble.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I wonder if it is a product of the 1790s when Britain was desperately short of arms and made and bought arms from whatever sources they could find.

The lock looks like it one time had the maker's name engraved upon it. Which, I'm pretty certain, had stopped by the time the SLP lock was produced for British military purchase. BUT the lock also shows two stamps under the pan, one is a cross, and the other is the crown and arrow. So agreed, likely something built and bought post AWI.

LD