Originally Posted by
SyLibby
Hi All
Forgive me if this is the wrong place to ask. but does anyone have experience with doing a reconversion to flintlock on a cone in barrel 1816? I'm considering a candidate for this. I had been looking for drum conversions, but a good cone in barrel came up. Not sure how or if it is possible.
Thank you,
Scott
Scott,
I'm FAR from being overly conversant on the subject, but I recently sold an original M-1816 (Markham) in it's original flint configuration.
What I learned from my recent crash course on 16s is:
A) original flints, STILL as flints are fairly valuable, taking their overall condition into account. Only so many were produced by the US Gov't or Contractors; and of those, a good amount were converted to cone in barrel. So there are far fewer original flints in existence which weren't altered.
B) Those flints converted to cone and barrel are accordingly valued for what they are - an original piece which evidenced the emerging technological transition of the time in converting firearms from flint to percussion. As such they DO hold historic/monetary value, just not a much as original flints.
C) Re-converting a cone in barrel BACK to flint M1816s GREATLY diminishes the pieces value - period. Reconversions are fairly obvious and can typically be identified those who know what to look for. In the end, you wind up with a reproduction M1816 flint, which is you can guess is FAR FAR less than what the piece was worth when she was an original cone in barrel.
MY TWO CENTS - you are MORE than free to do what you wish! My only hope is that you consider what I shared (sleep on it).
Semper Fi,
Rob Freeman
Col, USMC (Ret.)
1987-2019
The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. - Vince Lombardi
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