Bridesburg Musket

[Ben Cartwright]

My brother just inherited a Bridesburg Musket, I have not seen it yet just the attached pictures.

Can anyone tell me anything about these pieces? I don't know what the condition is or whether everything works or if it is complete.

I told him when he asked for a value that until I saw it I cannot comment. I couldn't find it in the Blue book.

Information

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[martin08]

Appears to be missing the rear sight. Trigger bow should have a sling swivel. But there is a lot there to begin a restoration project. Be prepared to dish out a few BIG bucks for original sight parts if you can find them. Reproduction parts are pricey enough.

When I picked up mine in 2013, $4-500 seemed to be the going rate for an incomplete, fair conditioned, but salvageable specimen.

[gew8805]

You do have a M1861 Bridesburg rifle musket lock but .............

Your stock has a patch box - the M1861 Rifle Musket did not have a patch box and the trigger guard and bands are from an earlier gun, maybe a US M1817 rifle that the M1861 lock has been fitted to. The gun has been converted from flint to percussion using a drum and nipple and the percussion lock fitted. We will need better photos, the trigger guard is different from most US M1817 Rifles but the patch box appears to be correct for that model. There were variants of that rifle, it was made by several contractor as well as the Harpers Ferry Arsenal.

What is the length of the barrel? Caliber? Is it still rifled? If it is what I think it is it should be .54 caliber rifled.

When you have a chance to examine it, please take photos of any proof marks on the barrel breech as well as detailed photos of the trigger guard and bands bands, especially the front band which is cut off in your brother's photo.

[martin08]

With the glare from the flash, I missed the patch box entirely. Good eye!