Item Description
Original Item: One of a Kind. This musket dates from the Rre Revolutionary War era, when Infantry Muskets had 42" or even 46" barrels. The name or label "CARBINE" in those days referred to the BORE of the barrel. A Musket fitted .65" Bore, the size of an Officer's Flintlock pistol, became known as a Carbine. 'Carbine" also became the description of a "Short Barreled' Musket or Rifle, which is pretty much the way we use it today.
This Carbine or short Musket was issued to COMPANY SERGEANTS from 1770 and were in use through the Revolutionary War (1775 -1783). Sergeants accompanied the Infantry and often carried a Sword or even a halberd as well. This sounds crazy, but giving the Sergeants a 39" barrel Brown Bess a full 3" shorter than the Infantry's 42" or 46" Brown Bess was deemed a great advantage.
This P-1770 Sergeant's models were mostly initially made from leftover out of style musket components so were often fitted with P-1756 Flint lock mechanisms and earlier style brass mounts. This is all explained in the book PATTERN DATES for BRITISH ORDNANCE SMALL ARMS 1718 - 1783, by De Witt Bailey, Ph.D.. In this wonderful book, please consult for reference page 61, line drawings on page 36-37 and photos on page 81 of the P-1760 model, which is quite similar in the trigger guard style. The P-1770 Model is shown on page 80. In fact we INCLUDE a copy of De Witt Bailey's Book to help with your own research!
Scarcer than a 42" barrel Brown Bess Musket this is rare and seldom ever encountered. As time passed the Pattern varied to eliminate the escutcheon, thumb plate, and other fittings which do NOT appear on our example. The Lock is an original P-1756 model, marked TOWER but without a date, indicating that the lock was made after 1764 when dates and lock maker's names were obsoleted. It also has the correct CROWN / GR proof, as well as the "Lock Viewer's" marking. The barrel is marked with Birmingham CROWN / "Crossed Scepters" proof marks, as well as the CROWN / V viewed mark. There is also an I G inspector's or maker mark, which we have seen on other muskets from this period.
The condition of this rare musket is very nice, with a lovely patina on the metalwork, and a great stock with a lot of curl in some areas. The ramrod channel even still has an RR stamping, most likely for the stock maker. The lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full. Just a lovely musket.
Ready to research and to display, found HERE in the United States!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: c. 1770
Caliber: .75" Musket
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 39 inches
Overall Length: 59 inches
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these.
- This product is available for international shipping.
IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers". Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services.
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