Found MUSKET in thrift store.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I just wanted to thank you for sharing with us Dave. and thank the experts here for all they've contributed. This rifle is one of the most interesting 'finds' I've seen in years, and it makes me feel good to read where so many members have unselfishly helped with research and hard earned years of knowledge.

It's been interesting to follow this thread, and even thrilling at times -
Especially when experts identified it as a very rare rifle!
(The only way it would have been more exciting would be if I'd found it at a secondhand store myself!)

I'm looking forward to seeing the stock after you've repaired the holes, etc, and hope you'll post photos of all of your results as you go along.

Thanks again Dave, and also to everyone involved,
~ Harlan

Information

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[gew8805]

I have to agree with Harlan - thanks Dave for posting about the rifle and we are looking forward to more pictures.

[DaveN]

Hope to have some after pics to go with the before pics soon. I've been following the Argentine on restorers corner and hope to apply some photo advice to the after pics. You know the before picture, no make-up, old cloths, no smile and bad lighting. the after picture, a visit to Glamour Shots. Well I hope thats the result I get.

[tbeck]

It looks like a percussion conversion from flint. The dog lock(!!) went out of style in the early 1700s. I found one (still cocked) at an early plantation dig near Charleston, SC. I have never seen a percussion ignition dog lock before. It would be interesting to see the inside to find out of the half cock was broken and the dog safety added, or if it was originaly a dog lock. The conversion is very typical of 1840s German states military work (Saxon, Dresden, Wurtemburg, etc.). So, it was not in the US for the revolution (although some Hessian troops probably carried very similar flint Jaeger rifles, and many Germanic Pa. gunsmiths made them before Kentucky long rifles came into style). The next question, who imported it? During the Civil War, all manner of obsolete arms were brought in. Strangely enough, mostly by the North. The South bought Enfields and Lorenz rifles almost exclusivly. Odds are it is a Herman Boker import from 1861 or '62. it is a neat old piece for sure!

[gew8805]

tbeck you might want to read the complete thread, it has been identified as a M1821/41/51 Kongsberg jäger rifle from Norway, a very rare rifle in it's country of origin and almost unheard of here. The dog catch remained in use in Norway and Denmark and even in Russia well into the 19th Century, even on percussion weapons. There were no imports of military weapons from Norway during the American Civil War, Norway was re-equiping her forces with purpose made percussion weapons - like this one - and also early breachloading firearms were coming into use at that time, the first being adapted in 1845. Earlier weapons were kept in store for second line troops and for war emergency. They really didn't have an excess of weapons to export. See:

Norwegian military small-arms

and particularly:

M1821/41/51 Kongsberg jäger rifle Norwegian military small-arms

[tbeck]

Thanks Gew. I screwed up and didn't see the many pages beyond #1.

[gew8805]

Not at all, sometimes you can be in a hurry and just not see everything. Sorry if I sounded abrupt. I'm hoping that Dave will post "finished" pictures of his restoration.

[DaveN]

This is my first "Restoration"It's really a clean-up to put on the wall for now. I am not doing anything that can't be undone. At this time it is all apart and organized so I can put it back together when the rear sight and the stuff for the patch box gets here from the Rifle Shoppe . I have already received the ramrod and it is a perfect fit. At first it looked too long but I did not know just how far the rod went into the stock, and was pleased at the perfect fit. I could post some close ups of the various parts if you would care to post your opinions. I thought about leaving the metal as is but to refinish I think would require it to be re-blued? For now it just sits in my safe, safe from any more harm. Thanks again for all the interest, it continues to intrigue me the knowledge that's out there.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to ALL and YOURS


Parts should be here in 4 or 5 weeks, so sometime in late Jan. I should be ready to start putting it back together.

[DaveN]

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[gew8805]

........... I thought about leaving the metal as is but to refinish I think would require it to be re-blued? For now it just sits in my safe, safe from any more harm. Thanks again for all the interest, it continues to intrigue me the knowledge that's out there.

No, the original finish was bright, not blued. My advice is to leave it with the aged patina, removing the age induced brown would completely destroy the value of the gun - it will deface remaining markings and, in some cases, remove those marks completely. When you get the new parts from TRS you will need to do a fair amount of filing in order to get the sight together, then you will need to brown it and the new ramrod to match the rest of the metal.

Merry Christmas to you as well Dave, may the New Year bring you and your family happiness and prosperity.