Found MUSKET in thrift store.

[DaveN]

I will be going to the Melbourne,Florida gun show next weekend. I know a guy who might be able to give me some advice. I,m excited to say the least, but I've been broken hearted too many times to count. Patrick, what is the meaning of 566(it appears on barrel,behind barrel, hammer side plate, and stock) Is it like the P 08 Luger,where all parts match?

[smellie]

What an absolute old GEM!

American War of Independence? VERY possible; lots of Hessian troops bought over for it.

Could even be earlier: the dog-catch was obsolete in British-manufactured guns by 1720. This one could have been at Drummossie Moor when Stinkin' Willy turned the mercenaries loose on the Highland wounded, 1746, then in America 30 years later.

If only it could talk to us.....

You're a very fortunate man. You must have done something right.
.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Gentlemen, I am angry with myself!
I was up until 2:41 in the morning, local time, looking up markings in Stoeckel etc, and searching through my archive to find a picture of a Hessen-Kassel Jaeger rifle. This belongs to a member of a local re-enactment group who are every bit as pernickety about historical detail as any N-S skirmisher. As I live in Hessen, in the original "Jäger" country, I am in quite a good position to find out more. But then, waking up bleary-eyed this morning, I read this:

It is a Germanic very early percussion military jaeger rifle. It should be about 62 caliber. I have a little earlier flint lock version of it. If you decide to sell or trade it. please contact me.

The expression "jumping on the bandwagon" comes to mind.
More than one contributor had already said it was a Jaeger rifle (which is, by definition, "Germanic").
This is a style from the flintlock era, and the possibility that it is a conversion had already been mentioned.
DaveN had already told us what the approximate bore diameter was.
And I, in my "British understatement" fashion had already light-heartedly expressed my interest in having the rifle, should DaveN not wish to keep it.
To use another quaint British expression, jumping into this correspondence to get hold of the piece is "not cricket".

I had intended to contact the gentleman in the picture, to obtain detail pics of his replica and, if possible, pics of the original from which it was made. I now feel that I have spent quite enough time on this, and will not pursue the matter further.

Regretfully yours,

Patrick

[DaveN]

Thanks to all very much, but still looking for the 566 answer if one is out their?

[Claven2]

The 566 would be an assembly number as these would have been made in large batches with hand-fitted but mass produced parts. When sent for finishing, etc. the assembly numbers kept the bits together. On a British firearm of the same period, they use chisel strikes for the same thing. Guns in that era were typically not serial numbered as we think of it today.

[DaveN]

I've looked at the bore closer and I'm not sure my first observation is correct. What I thought
was rifling does not twist at all but seem to be even measured (maybe 3mm) going straight down the muzzle? Just adding more info. I may try a picture but it may be too much for my camera, and it may not be necessary anyway.

[Claven2]

It probably does twist, only very slowly like 1:70" or something like that. Meant for patched balls.

[Doug Rammel]

Well , I'm going to put my 2 pennies in for what it's worth.

I think the gun is definitely a percussion jaeger. It was built as a percussion as I see no indication on the lock plate where a frizzen spring was attached. Also the barrel looks to have been made with a percussion bolster much like a CW era musket. I've never seen a conversion made like that. Usually they add a drum, or put a nipple directly into barrel and add a hammer that is bent so it will strike the nipple.

[DaveN]

Went back to the thrift store to see if the ramrod was laying around. The lady said the "lamp" was just left out side their front door, said happens with stuff all the time, imagine that. Opinions on what to do. It's pretty beat up wood wise, should I consider a refinish. I thought I would leave the metal alone. I don't want it to look new but the extra holes gotta go. Your opinions are welcome. PS: Patrick, you mentioned a hanger not a bayonet lug. what did you mean and is it the same, and ,I just don't know blackpowder terminology.

[Patrick Chadwick]

A hanger is the kind of short, relatively heavy (for its length) sword used by hunters to kill wounded animals/cut up meat in the old days. Term also used for the short sword used by 18th C. police, revenue officers and the like (I am not a hunter or a sword expert, so may be slightly off-beam) who would have felt encumbered by a full-length sword. This developed into the "sword" as used by the Rifle Brigade in the Peninsular War - the command in the Rifle brigade was always "fix swords" not "fix bayonets". Likewise the Baker rifle was the successor to the Jaeger. As, indeed, the Rifle Brigade was the successor to the Jaeger companies.

"I see no indication on the lock plate where a frizzen spring was attached"
Good point Doug, you are correct!