Palmetto musket- is it the real thing

[td9323]

Hi,
A friend found this in his grandfather's attic. Is there any way of knowing from a cursory inspection if it is real or repro. It doesnt look 170 years old. Lots of brass and the wood under the barrel bands is really old looking like maybe is had some refinishing. Thanks for any help. Ron

[bobanderson]

Looks like a Palmetto 1842 smoothbore. If original, it's seen VERY little wear.

How's the bore?

If it were mine, I'd be careful not to take the first offer.

[John Holland]

td9323 - Most respectfully, your Palmetto Musket is without a doubt a modern reproduction. My reasons for saying it is a reproduction is very simply the markings on the tail of the lock are hand stamped with individual stamps, Palmetto was a single unit block stamp, the William Glaze stamps are the wrong size, the bolster is incorrect, etc.

It was most likely imported from India. If it is in fact an Indian import I would be most hesitant about ever shooting it with anything other than a moderate blank charge, and then nothing less than 2F granulation black powder.

[BADSHOT]

I think it was made or imported rather by Loyalist Arms, they still show one on their website. (The Bolster shown on their site is a dead ringer for this one.)

[PapaRob]

td9323 - Most respectfully, your Palmetto Musket is without a doubt a modern reproduction. My reasons for saying it is a reproduction is very simply the markings on the tail of the lock are hand stamped with individual stamps, Palmetto was a single unit block stamp, the William Glaze stamps are the wrong size, the bolster is incorrect, etc.

It was most likely imported from India. If it is in fact an Indian import I would be most hesitant about ever shooting it with anything other than a moderate blank charge, and then nothing less than 2F granulation black powder.

Not that I plan on doing anything like it.. but could you take one of the indian repro's and put a breech and barrel from a reputable maker on it and make it a shooter? Just curious..

[Dave Fox]

Were I to want to make it into a safe shooter, I'd have Robert Hoyt line the barrel, smoothbore or rifled...early in the war some Palmettos were rifled by South Carolina.

[John Holland]

Rob Harrison - This topic has been covered on the BB several times over the years, but I don't mind revisiting it for our newer members and other followers. Replacing the questionable barrel with an N-SSA Approved Barrel is certainly a viable option....IF....the musket meets the dimensional and other requirements of the N-SSA's Small Arms Committee. Many people have talked about doing this very thing, but to date no one has yet to provide a sample of the Indian manufactured Palmetto Musket to see if the basic musket meets the requirements.

John Holland
N-SSA Small Arms Staff Officer

[John Holland]

Dave Fox - The India made barrel is not acceptable in any way, shape, form, or manner. Having it lined will not make it able to be approved by the N-SSA.

John Holland
N-SSA Small Arms Staff Officer
Chairman, Small Arms Committee

[td9323]

Dave Fox - The India made barrel is not acceptable in any way, shape, form, or manner. Having it lined will not make it able to be approved by the N-SSA.

John Holland
N-SSA Small Arms Staff Officer
Chairman, Small Arms Committee

I don?t have any plans to shoot it. It?s a wall hanger for me. The consensus seems to be that it?s a fake?

[RaiderANV]

Not a fake....... just not an original repro

[PapaRob]

Rob Harrison - This topic has been covered on the BB several times over the years, but I don't mind revisiting it for our newer members and other followers. Replacing the questionable barrel with an N-SSA Approved Barrel is certainly a viable option....IF....the musket meets the dimensional and other requirements of the N-SSA's Small Arms Committee. Many people have talked about doing this very thing, but to date no one has yet to provide a sample of the Indian manufactured Palmetto Musket to see if the basic musket meets the requirements.

John Holland
N-SSA Small Arms Staff Officer

Might be an interesting exercise one day to see if it would pass.

[John Holland]

Rob - If someone can ever borrow one to take to Small Arms the SAC will be more than happy to run it through an inspection!

[PapaRob]

Rob - If someone can ever borrow one to take to Small Arms the SAC will be more than happy to run it through an inspection!

John later this summer I might just undertake this endeavor (I need a muzzle loading smoothbore/shotgun for the NRA certification courses we are teaching). Since I am not worried about using it for competition once I get it completed (safety is the only real concern) then I might do a before and after type of inspection process if after the first look it is viable to continue towards making it an approved shooter.

Who knows? For the guys looking to build Macon's it might present a more affordable alternative to getting a 42 cut down since the last time I priced a new 42 for this course it was egregiously expensive after all would be said and done.

[td9323]

I forgot about this thing for awhile. I took it apart tonight and found this India stamp on the bottom of the barrel so it's definitely not the real thing. Are these worth anything at all?

[MarkTK36thIL]

I forgot about this thing for awhile. I took it apart tonight and found this India stamp on the bottom of the barrel so it's definitely not the real thing. Are these worth anything at all?

Value wise, a couple hundred (probably between $400-500). The thing is, they're hit or miss in terms of quality, but the finishing details are lacking. They usually don't look right.

In terms of who'd use it- not the N-SSA or most reenacting organizations. I've heard that the Rev War crowd accepts them if they're proofed by a gunsmith. But please don't quote me on that.

My brother and I have made it a rule to never purchase nor resell one of these. Too much liability.

On the flip side, a Marine Gunny tested the barrel strength (mortar tube testing thing) and found his Indian barrel to be stronger than an Italian made reproductions. Maybe his was the exception and not the rule.

[Dave Fox]

In my defense, suggesting a Hoyt liner was recommended merely as an option to making the barrel certainly safe to shoot. I did not infer that it would pass N-SSA inspection.

[MarkTK36thIL]

In my defense, suggesting a Hoyt liner was recommended merely as an option to making the barrel certainly safe to shoot. I did not infer that it would pass N-SSA inspection.

That would be really interesting to see the end result, if it could pass SAC approval. I think it'd be a cost/reward decision.