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threepdr
05-12-2008, 09:15 AM
I'm trying to indentify a musket for a friend. It seems to be a standard Model 1822 French converted musket. I suspect that this is actually a Belgian copy of the Model 1822 as it has no lock markings. The buttstock is well marked with the date "1826" with a oval with a crown over a "D".

It was converted with a patent breech bolster, has been rifled and the trumpet shaped rammer has be recessed to fit the nose of the bullet.

The unusual thing is the rear sight. A very tall, two appature sight has been dovetailed into the barrel about 4 or 5 inches from the breech. The sight is over 1 inch tall and has two horizontal slot appature, one above the other for different ranges. The sight is very well made and appears to have been done when it was converted and rifled. I've never seen this type sight.

Anyone familiar with this type conversion, and the unsual rear sight?

Thanks!

Richard Hill
05-13-2008, 04:35 PM
It sounds similar to the sight on the French M1840 rifle. No telling where it came from if the sight is original to the gun. The "typical" Civil War import sight was either a block on the tang or a short ladder sight SOLDERED to the barrel. Can you post pictures?

threepdr
05-13-2008, 09:33 PM
Richard,

Thanks for your reply.

Here are some pics that might confirm that it is a Belgian Model 1822. Fredrick Todd's book says this type conversion was done in Leige especially for export to US buyers.

The tall "tombstone" style rear sight is a new one to me though. Have you ever seen this type sight?

Thanks again

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/threepdr/lock.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/threepdr/RearSight.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/threepdr/cartouche.jpg

Richard Hill
05-14-2008, 12:33 PM
This looks like something for one of the German states, but I really don't know. It was also probably never a flintlock and was built originally as percussion. I am also assuming it’s a three-bander with a double strap upper band. Silas Crispin described the M1822 style musket in his February 1862 report, but made no determination as to the origin of the examples examined. The rear sight is NOT the French M1840. You might try the pre-1898 message board on antiqueguns.com to see if anybody can recognize the stock markings.

threepdr
05-14-2008, 01:18 PM
Thanks Richard,

Yes it is a three bander with double strapped upper band. It matches all the characteristics of a French Model 1822 with the exception that it has no lock markings.

It is hard to see in the photo, but the lock plate has filled holes indicating that the flintlock parts have been removed. Todd's book "American Military Equipage" has a line drawing of this type bolster conversion (drawn from original at the Springfield Arsenal Museum) and hammer and indicates that this type conversion was done in Liege.

He does not mention the wierd rear sight however. That will remain a mystery I suppose.

Bob F, 1st NJLA
05-17-2008, 07:59 PM
Given the date of 1826 on the stock it is highly unlikely that the musket would be anything but a converted flintlock or tubelock. The hammer and bolster do have more Germanic feeling than Belgian, and if it was a Belgian mfd. or converted musket I would expect to find some Belgian markings on the barrel, even though the original markings might have been lost during the conversion. A number of German states used French pattern muskets for their reserve troops so a French pattern German musket is not something to raise eyebrows.

Bob Fisch, retired Curator of Arms
West Point Museum, USMA