This muzzle loading Flintlock Musket is in fair condition. The barrel is 23 1/8 inch long. Overall length of musket is 39 inches. The caliber is .72 (18.4mm) by our caliper.
In trying to identify this Flintlock there are a number of issues. First this musket has obviously been modified as it has no front sight and the barrel chopped down. The front ramrod holder appears to have been brazed to the barrel. The brass cap to the forend appears to be pinned at an odd angle and the forend itself shows repair at front around the rear ramrod holder. All these signs indicate this was once a much longer gun.
The profile of the musket suggests a Brown Bess pattern from the 1700s however the blonde wood of the stock isn’t usually seen on those muskets. We did find some Japanese reproductions of the Brown Bess that are very similar in color and profile. The issue is that those Japanese reproductions were also made duplicating the correct proof marks of the original. This musket has no markings like that.
There were only three marks to be found on this Flintlock and they are very faint. There appear to be either “B B” or “B P” which could possibly stand for Brown Bess or Black Powder and a crown. This crown mark is extremely small and looks nothing like the crown proofs on English rifles. In fact this crown looks nothing like any of the crown type proofs on record whether they be English, French, German, etc etc.
Given the lack of recognizable markings and that it has obviously been altered this might have been a “kit” gun build. There are a number of contemporary makers of good quality stocks and parts for the home musket builder and this could have been built from one those. That or it could have been built from some original parts combined with other more recent parts.
Our final conclusion is that this Flintlock is most likely modified from a reproduction Brown Bess or built from both old and newer parts by a hobbyist musket builder. We can’t give a definitive maker or model but we do know that this was imported from Switzerland.
This Flintlock is in fair condition. The wood on both sides of the butt stock has wood worm damage (small pin holes). There is a repaired crack on the forend from barrel to plate screw on the left side. The front of forend has had repair at the cap. The barrel is rust stained all over. The tang is broken at the screw to the butt. The pan and lock show rust staining and fouling corrosion. The locking mechanism and trigger work at both half and full cock but spring tension is flawed.
The brass is tarnished. Brass trigger guard is cracked at screw behind trigger. Front forend cap is pinned at an odd angle to the front. There are a number of pins missing at various points on the musket. The bore shows rust throughout as well as significant powder fouling build up. This Flintlock looks like it was shot and given it’s length and missing front sight was possibly used for shot and not ball.
DISCLAIMER ON FIRING
This Flintlock is classified as antique. While there is evidence that it has been fired in the past the lock mechanism does have issues and cock (hammer) can drop without pulling the trigger. Given this it is NOT SAFE to attempt to fire this as it currently is.
Any desire for safe functionality should be addressed by a competent gunsmith with experience in Flintlock muskets.
Extreme caution should always be taken with any antique firearm.
This Flintlock Musket would be best utilized as a display piece and would look great over any fireplace or hanging in the study or office.
