Old gun markings? added pics of lock

Ray Boone

June 09, 2012 15:48

These are some of the markings on an old musket that was used by a fellow in the Civil War- Anyone recognize any of the markings?

Comments

3 comments

rufe-snow

June 09, 2012 16:13
Markings with crowns are very common on 19th Century military firearms. Many were imported as surplus from European countries that were kingdoms. It would be easier to identify, from markings on the lockplate and pictures of the lock, hammer and barrel breach.

EDIT #1, Just went into my books. "FW over Crown" and the two digit date are found on Prussian muzzle loading rifles. I believe that the model that was imported and sold as surplus during our Civil War was called the "Lorenz".

EDIT #2, Got it wrong! The "Lorenz's" were Austrian, not Prussian. The Prussian rifles imported for the American Civil War were Model 1809 "Potsdam's", reworked after 1839 for percussion ignition. The Prussian Army had transitioned to the breech loading needle gun, and didn't need the 1809/39's any more.
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Spider7115

June 09, 2012 18:49
The "FW" stands for Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861.
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Spider7115

June 10, 2012 06:10
Your lock may have been marked "Potsdam" at one time.
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