Unknown 72 Cal Smoothbore

[hugsjensen]

I picked this up at an auction. It appears to have been converted to percussion. The front of the stock has been cut back. Barrel is 34" but may have been cut. No marks on the back of the lock and the barrel is marked with "30".

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

It is a chopped French M1822 Flintlock Musket converted to percussion in France for use by the French military. It once looked like the un-fooled with example shown here:

http://www.littlegun.info/arme%20francaise/collection%20fusils/a%20a%20collection%20fusils%201822%20t%20bis%20gb.htm

This started life as a first quality military arm, an example copied by many including the United States. They were very durable. Obviously this one was shortened for civilian use after it left military service.

In North America, the Federal government imported a fair number of French muskets for use by Union forces during the American Civil War, none are reported to have been purchased/imported by the Confederacy.

 

[vtbuck223]

Looks like a Model 1809 Prussian Potsdam....the barrel has been cut.....second look....Va.M. is right...M1822

 

[ericb]

Great link Va.M - I enjoyed it...

Eric

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Glad you enjoyed it. Here is the entire thing:

http://www.littlegun.info/arme%20francaise/collection%20fusils/a%20a%20collection%20fusils%20gb.htm

You can hit the blue links to see details. Takes you from the M1777 through the M1874 Gras suppository rifle with great photography. Beautiful muskets.

(Of course, my personal favorite is the M1867 Tabatiere conversion....) :grin:

 

[Jim Blair]

That is a wonderfull site,thanks for posting. :thumbsup:

 

[hugsjensen]

In response to Va.Manuf.06

Thanks for the info. It was sold as a wall hanger. I have removed the broken nipple, and am honing out the barrel. I figure i will have that 200 year old musket shooting again in a couple of weeks. I guess this gives me two Civil war guns, an 1816 Springfield, and now this 1816 French Fusil!

 

[bennypapa]

Was the barrel replaced when they converted to percussion? I am curious about the "bump" the nipple threads into. My mind can picture how this was made. Was the nipple threaded into another piece that was in turn threaded into the barrel?

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

The bolster where the nipple is threaded into the original flintlock barrel is added by one of two methods;

(1)The bolster lump was brazed to the barrel after filling the original flint touch hole. Then the bolster was drilled to allow the cap flash to reach the bore. After that the cone seat was enlarged and threaded to accept the cone (nipple). This method was the easiest and fastest method but was found to be less strong.

(2) The original breach of the flint barrel was cut off and threaded for a new breech that then threaded into the original barrel. The new breech had an integrally forged bolster and was much stronger than the first method outlined above. After the new breech section was added to the barrel, the cone was threaded into the bolster and good to go. This is the method used on Danscottgerm's example illustrated above.