?1812 Sutton

[Va.Manuf.06]

There ya go, KR, Sheepie finally got it working. I have to say that I had the same feeling that you did with the full length shot, I could have sworn it was a M1840/M1842 band but the shot above proves it is not. Thanks Sheepie.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Thanks Sheepie. I can see that I mis-identified the fore end band. It's not from a '35 or '42 model. It looks like it has an iron sight which would make it from a M1812. That is, if the flash from the camera hasn't made it look like iron. If it's brass, it would be correct for an '08 model.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Hey VA. I didn't see your post before I replied. Yeah, that picture sure clears things up, except that it looks like an iron sight which would be a '12 model. Like I said, it could be the light from the flash could be making a brass sight look like iron, at least to me. Thaddeus think?

 

[old english sheepdog]

I can definitely tell you its not brass. Thanks for all your help.

Sheepie

 

[Tumblernotch]

No problem. So what you have would be a cut down M1808 contract musket with an 1812 front band. Interesting piece. By the way, I had said that 5,000 1808 muskets were delivered by Waters and Whitmore by Oct. 1812. That is according to Gluckman. Fuller in his book shows 2,000 by that same date. Not real important but puzzling. Enjoy yer musket!

 

[old english sheepdog]

Ok gentleman I need help again. I want to order the ramrod at TOW http://www.trackofthewolf.com/imgPart/ramrod-bb-2_1.jpg
I assume I will have to cut it down since this "musket" is only 33" but I would also like to get the part that the hammer strikes and I have no clue what its even called. Attached is a sample picture (not my musket) Can you help. Sorry this is not my field of expertise. If you want to talk about dogs, grooming and showing, I'm your person.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Nowadays that's called a bolster. Back in the day it was called a cone seat. On musket barrels they were forge welded on. I've seen some that were braced on, especially on flint muskets altered to percussion. By the way, the pictures you had posted I earlier are gone. You can keep them on photobucket. If you remove them, they disappear from here.

 

[bpd303]

The part the hammer strikes is the nipple or cone which screws into the bolster. To get a replacement musket cap nipple you will need the thread size.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Ok gentleman I need help again. I want to order the ramrod at TOW http://www.trackofthewolf.com/imgPart/ramrod-bb-2_1.jpg
I assume I will have to cut it down since this "musket" is only 33" but I would also like to get the part that the hammer strikes and I have no clue what its even called. Attached is a sample picture (not my musket) Can you help. Sorry this is not my field of expertise. If you want to talk about dogs, grooming and showing, I'm your person.

Sheepie, if you're still there I was just looking at your pics again and realized that your musket was altered by using a drum bolster. So replacing it should be easy. Drill it out and get a drum with a large threaded shank, no smaller than 5/16".

 

[Zonie]

The bolster is the large blob on the side of the barrel. It is not the part that the hammer strikes.

The hammer strikes the nipple, sometimes called the "cone" in old writings.

Sheepie should not mess with the actual bolster at all.
It is brazed in place and it is not replaceable without greatly damaging the gun.

The nipple on the other hand is a replaceable item.
Although they are often frozen in place by rust and corrosion they can usually be removed without damaging the gun.

 

[Tumblernotch]

I'm quite aware of what the bolster is. I identified it for him on the picture of the other musket. His musket was an arsenal drum bolster conversion which was simply screwed into the bored out touch hole. His is broken off. He can drill it out and replace it with another.

 

[Odentheviking]

I'm quite aware of what the bolster is. I identified it for him on the picture of the other musket. His musket was an arsenal drum bolster conversion which was simply screwed into the bored out touch hole. His is broken off. He can drill it out and replace it with another.

You are correct..... The question in my mind is not "How" Sheepie should replace the bolster "If" he should do it!
I got into restoring Mdl 1816's about 20 Years ago and have a next door neighber that is a master machinest and I still have problems/issues putting some of these muskets back together! The big issue here is making sure the next person that aquires this musket does not try to shoot it. If you fix the bolster and replace the nipple it may be assumed it has been made ready/proofed to shoot. When i get asked to build a musket.... I make sure to ask what they plan to use it for. Wall hanger? Display/Living History? Powder burner/re-enactment? Live fire? NSSA shoots?
No reason to have Bob Hoyt reline and stretch a barrel that is just gonna wang on the wall!
Also, why change the character of a musket that has survived the last two hundred years?

p.s. i say that top barrel band is an all iron repro, mostly because it does not have the color the rest of the piece has. All of the cutdown muskets I have seen over the years they did not bother w/resetting the top band, they just went back to make the middle band the new top band. But that is just MHO. PCB.

 

[Odentheviking]

Ok gentleman I need help again. I want to order the ramrod at TOW http://www.trackofthewolf.com/imgPart/ramrod-bb-2_1.jpg
I assume I will have to cut it down since this "musket" is only 33" but I would also like to get the part that the hammer strikes and I have no clue what its even called. Attached is a sample picture (not my musket) Can you help. Sorry this is not my field of expertise. If you want to talk about dogs, grooming and showing, I'm your person.

If you wanna replace the rammer you can look for a repro..... or you can check evil-bay for a year or so and see what pops up. The only issue is finding the right color/patina to match your metal. From your pics I am guessing someone cleaned this metal back down to bright. Often it is best to use a repro in this case. Another issue w/a repro rammer is they are often bigger around than the originals and your rammer channel may need to be drilled/cleaned out. years of just sitting w/no rammer can allow dirt/dust/pencils/etc.... to fall down the channel,(trust me I have seen all kinds of things down there!). That, or just keep cutting the rammer shorter till it fits..... but then when you put it down the bore it is gone! This brings up another issue..... have you checked to be sure the bore is clear, meaning is the barrel still loaded?
The musket pictured has a bolster conversion, meaning the breech of the barrel was cut off and a new breech put on that has the percusion nipple installed. As the Gentleman from WV stated your musket had a Fench Conversion, meaning a drum was installed into the old flint/flash hole, then a nipple installed into the drum. When i come across a French conv. I almost always replace the drum and nipple w/a modern, machined, and hardened fabrication. The old original drums almost always have fracture/stress cracks that you can or can not see.

p.s. Have you thought of having a musket builder look this piece over and make some suggestions? PCB.