Help identifying firearm

[JeffB]

Greetings all,

Pics below.

I have here, something. When I acquired this it was completely rusted over and I thought it might be a fun restoration project. As I've stripped away the layers of rust, I have no idea what it is. The guy I got it from said it was an Enfield Three Band. I've restored about a dozen Lee-Enfields but this is my first foray into black powder. I'm not convinced that this is three band though as the lock and barrel are marked "GR". I'm used to GR with Enfields (George the 5th for No 1s and George the 6th for No 4s) so at first I didn't really notice. However, George the 4th died in 1830 (20 years prior to the three band). I would expect that three bands would be marked VR? Also, there was only one band on it when I got it. It could have lost the other two (or one) over the years. It also doesn't appear to be rifled as far as I can see. It's a percussion cap but this could have been converted from an earlier fintlock I guess. Tower lock.

Other marks,
- it appears to be stamped "GP Parsons" (light stamping). No clue what that is
- "GR" which I assume is George Rex again on the barrel
- There are several X marks "X/|||", "X|||" and "X/XX" on the underside of the barrel
- The cross flag proof mark
- A broad arrow
- A trident? Not sure about this one...
- On the butt plate it is marked "US"

Information

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[henry r]

someone with more knowlege will be along shortly, but i'll take a guess at it being a modified brown bess or similar.

[JeffB]

I was thinking the same thing originally but I didn't think that the Brow Bess' had bands? I know there were multiple patterns though.

[UNPROFOR1994]

In my opinion there isn't much of the original Brown Bess rifle left. It looks like it was patched up and altered by generations of blacksmiths just to keep it going as a hunting rifle.

[gsimmons]

Butt plate and trigger guard look like they're from the 1855/61/63 series of muskets.

[henry r]

gsimmons, the shape of the butt looks closer than the brown bess too.

could it be a 1855/61/63 series fitted with a modified brown bess lock to keep it functioning?

[gsimmons]

It does look look like an American stock that's been modified to accept a Brown Bess lock and barrel.

[gew8805]

It is a non functioning wall hanger that someone made at some point in the past. Hard to say from the photos, but the stock appears to be fitted with a British barrel from one of the Land Service Brown Bess muskets. The lock may be from a Bess as well. The butt plate is a US rifle musket of the M1855, '61 or '63 pattern as is the trigger guard which is fitted backwards. The stock appears to be "custom made" for this gun, it doesn't match a US or British musket.

[JeffB]

Thanks for the replys. For what it's worth, the trigger guard isn't actually backwards, I disassembled everything to remove the rust and loose fit it back together for the pics. I wasn't paying that much attention though obviously!

Thanks again all. I mostly picked this thing up, for next to nothing I might add, to practice my restoration skills so it's good to know that I won't be messing up something that had any value.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Both trigger guard AND trigger seem to have been mounted backwards. Looks non-functional.