ID on a Charleville Musket

[hawkeye2]

That's a Springfield trapdoor ramrod (cleaning rod), probably from an 1884 model.

 

[Scrannel]

I wonder...
Back in Vermont my brother has another gun from the old days: a Springfield 45-70 breech-loader. I wonder if we got the rods mixed!?

 

[Heine]

Hay fellas, I am a very new member to this site. I collect Rev War muskets and have a very interesting 1766 “light model” Charleville in my collection that I am sure was used in the revolution. I believe it to be all original and pretty darned correct. It has the filed in makeshift rear sight the continentals added and a period thin metal wrist repair with a bunch of very small square nails to hold it in place. If anyone is interested, I will take photos of it and put them in here for comparison to the musket now being discussed. The rear sight filing is also on a period American walnut restocked 2nd. Model Belgian made Brown Bess with a purposely defaced crown on the lock plate and a pewter nose cap. I would say this Bess was probably issued to some Torie unit that more than likely destroyed the stock upon surrender. The musket was then restocked/repaired then reissued to the continentals. If only these guns could talk!

 

[Scrannel]

Love to see some photos of your gun!

 

[FlinterNick]

Thanks hopping. By a shot inside the lock, do you mean removing the lock as in your pic above? Or just a shot of the lock with the frizzen forward? Yes, there is a very faint mark above "Charleville." Here's a pic. View attachment 32054

The frizzen is a 1774 Charleville frizzen fitted to the lock, the 1774 charleville locks were rounded, the pans were a little longer in the forward section and the toe was squared off And you can see where the base of the frizzen is about 2mm longer than faceted pan.

 

[FlinterNick]

One of the problems with identifying an original Charleville is the fact that so many are in poor shape. The 1763 and 63/66 were used to a absolute deprecation. On many Charleville its very common to find random parts. The reason for the random parts is because many of the Charleville were sold off to civilians. For example the shaving down of the butt stock was a civilian alteration likely militia, in the continental army especially Washingtons Units the stocks were repaired but not altered by the armors. In the Northern Continental Army that invaded Canada and fought at Saratoga, The 1763 heavy and 1766 light Charleville shipped in 1776 found at Fort Ticonderoga are almost in perfect condition because there was very limited actions at the Fort after 1776, even when it was abandoned and retaken, there were skirmishes.