1809 Prussian/German Musket

[harlton]

Hi there,

Hello looking for some help again, I purchased this 1815 Potsdam Musket, about 20 odd years ago, fairly cheaply in a Garage sale and put it aside for another day, for a re-do back to flintlock. It came with a history, but ?
I have quite a few projects I want to finish and enjoy for a bit. As I'm a lot older now, and not as healthy as I once was, I need to prioritise, if I'm to get any done at all.
With that said, I'm a bit lost on what to do with this one now, as I don't know enough about the Musket type, and or the History of it, to allow for any good judgement. There is a lot of flintlock type, firing pattern pitting on the Barrel, and not so the lock or Hammer.
The stock butt is carved out, for a Big Collar style on a cold day , it's a percussion lock now, which has been fired little, but has collapsed due to neglect and poor storage, so it needs work on the lock anyway.
I can now, do a bit of work again here and there, and really don't want to waste any of my time, so I really need advise before deciding. When I purchased this musket with It being complete and all matching #s,in pretty good condition, nice nut brown barrel and brass fittings, with deep brown mahogany wood, returning it to flintlock didn't bother me, but know its different.
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone with knowledge of the markings on this musket, and if I should return it to flintlock again, vs just cost of repairs, about $500, vs about $300 roughly. Do I return the Barrel to steel again instead of the nut Brown, or leave It.
I'm really clueless here, the flintlock usage and it's markings, do make the Waterloo story believable. The Markings on top of the Butt plate are :-


1815
/O <-- Screw h'd
19 L W R
1 c

Which as I understand, is 1815 issue date, to the 19th Landwehr Regiment, 1st company, so is it a flintlock which was at Waterloo doe this confirm it. If so, I'd like to return it to as it should be. If not I'll fix the percussion lock and sell it on, I have the original bayonet to. Recommendations on this, would be greatly appreciated, as I really don't want to wreck a piece of an others history, thank's.

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Sorry to rain on your party, but the 1815 manufacture date is no proof whatsoever that it was at Waterloo.
And I am not sure that a 19th Landwehr-Regiment even existed in 1815 - but I am still searching, so watch this space.

However, most serviceable muskets were later converted to percussion. The percussion conversions are worth considerably less, the historical aspect already having been spoilt. I have often thought about reconverting one to flintlock, but the sad news it that original flintlock components are so expensive that it does not make commercial sense.

Fix the lock, sell it on, and wait for an original flintlock. But sharpen up your expertise as the chances are high that you will be offered some reconversions!

[harlton]

Hi Patrick,
No apologies necessary, it was one of those deals that come along, and back then more parts were around, unlike the shocks I'm getting now, I'm sort of nosing around, but you're right about the parts.
The guy who gave me his opinion of it, was a fairly serious bod,who re-enact's, but I'm not attached to it, although it would appeal then, it's certainly been in one hell of a battle, looking at all the pitting from the pan splatter. Flintlocks are really not my thing, I like my Long lee's, Ross, smle's and P14, which I'm serious about enjoying now. It would have been a cool project if the history was there, and costs not to bad, I've found a few cheap bits but not enough to proceed.
On the Regiment and date, I know nothing about these at all so that 1815 is on the top of the butt plate tang only, so would a date of manufacture be there, I laid it all out, the date and lettering as it appears on it's top tang, c/w my attempt at the screw hd between them. My final question is do I leave the steel browned or clean it up.
Thanks very much for your time very much appreciated. I have a 1800's+ Brown Bess too, which is all original, with a tower lock, and the little sights on it for skirmishers, and a smooth Brown patina, so they would have made a nice pair, but again it's time for me to let them go along with some others.

Many thanks Ian