contract model 1795 or charleville model 1774/77?
oops, I posted this in the wrong forum and cant figure how to delete the other one [B)]
Heres another one I have been researching, Dad & my uncle always called it a 'French trade musket' converted to percussion, so I started searching and found the Charleville model 1774 and 1777s. Its very similar, bore measures a hair over 23/32 so its 72 cal. Then I went into the early springfields/harper ferrys models 1795, 1808/9s, 1812 & 1816 and hec they all look similar! Thing is this one doesn't have a marking on it anywheres, nada, zip.I did note there were quite a few contractors making guns in the early days.
Couldnt find if the french made guns had markings but i would assume they would have? atleast a proof mark. This one has obviously been cut down, the barrel is 36 1/2", overall its 53 1/4" now, lock plate is 6 1/2" long, 1 1/2" high. Trigger guard is 11" long.
I did note it to say that really only specialized collectors could tell the difference between alot of the early ones and i can understand why! Looks like the stock was added to at some point. Its in fairly decent shape altho the pictures leave alot to be desired. Not really pitted so if there were any markings they would show.
Any help appreciated!
Al Parker DiggerDirect
Heres another one I have been researching, Dad & my uncle always called it a 'French trade musket' converted to percussion, so I started searching and found the Charleville model 1774 and 1777s. Its very similar, bore measures a hair over 23/32 so its 72 cal. Then I went into the early springfields/harper ferrys models 1795, 1808/9s, 1812 & 1816 and hec they all look similar! Thing is this one doesn't have a marking on it anywheres, nada, zip.I did note there were quite a few contractors making guns in the early days.
Couldnt find if the french made guns had markings but i would assume they would have? atleast a proof mark. This one has obviously been cut down, the barrel is 36 1/2", overall its 53 1/4" now, lock plate is 6 1/2" long, 1 1/2" high. Trigger guard is 11" long.
I did note it to say that really only specialized collectors could tell the difference between alot of the early ones and i can understand why! Looks like the stock was added to at some point. Its in fairly decent shape altho the pictures leave alot to be desired. Not really pitted so if there were any markings they would show.
Any help appreciated!
Al Parker DiggerDirect
0
-
Here was the link I got info for the french guns, the 1774/1777 are near the bottom of the page.
http://tinyurl.com/french1977
Al0 -
I failed to ID a question in your posting, but here a few comments. The Rifleman article by George Neumann is about as authoritative as you will find. The only other comparable source is French, by Boudriot. The butt stock shape is mostly 1777 but it has a flat lockplate while the 1777 (from Neumann) has a convex lockplate. Old guns are often found with mixed characteristics like that. Hard to know if guns were issued that way or if parts got switched in its period of use. Probably an exercise in futility to pursue much further due to obvious modifications evident in the piece.
Manufacturers in general, guns, cars, etc often made production changes in which pieces made during the transition from one model to another, may have mixed parts. In other words they would put the old-model parts in the new model till they ran out - so long as they fit and would work properly.0 -
To delete a post, click on the garbage can icon.
You can't delete the first post on a thread, if there is a response.
Delete your response, then delete the original post.
****************************************************************
At the top of every post that you make, on the right side, there is a garbage can.0 -
thanks for the info rhmc24
Kinda how I had it figured, being converted to percussion as well as 'wrenched on' over the years there would not be much point in trying to positively ID this. It is what it is so to say.
A shame the history behind the piece is lost, that to me would be so much more important than the gun itself.
Still its nice to hold and 'daydream' with, lol
Allen, I tried looking up a garbage can to delete the other post but came up empty, no can in sight.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
4 comments