Need Help Identifying A Flintlock Springfield Musket

[rickhill]

Is there a forum for earlier Springfield pieces where I might get some help identifying (confirming) what I believe is a Model 1816 U.S. Flintlock Musket ?

Lock Detail III.jpgLock.jpgMuzzle.jpgUpper Tang Date II.jpg

[Edatbeach]

That is a M1816, though it is a reconversion from percussion back to flintlock.

[rickhill]

Ed:

Thanks a bunch. I know that most were converted to percussion so thought it probably was a re-conversion but simply don't have the experience/expertise to identify what makes it so identifiable.

[Edatbeach]

Look at the smooth, round patch on the top right side of the barrel, directly above the vent. That is where someone welded the percussion nipple hole closed.

[Kragrifle]

Sometimes hard to find the patch. Put the hammer at full cock and close the frizzen. It is very difficult to get a good fit/closure on the pan when doing a recon.

[Dick Hosmer]

The mismatched finish between hammer and lockplate is another little clue, as is what I believe could be a wrong hammer screw.

[rickhill]

Thanks to all for the good advice. I'll check it carefully and see what I can pick up.

[rickhill]

Yes, fairly obvious once you know what to look for. I was concentrating on the lock parts which to me look fairly original and consistent with the finish on the rest of the gun. I can see what Dick is saying about the mismatched finish between the hammer and lock plate though.......

Thanks again to all for the insightful advice.

[jon_norstog]

Why would the arsenal convert a percussion arm back to flint? Or is that some kind of bubba job?

jn

[Dick Hosmer]

They wouldn't.

In the 50s and 60s, a lot of "collectors" wanted guns which had been flintlocks, to be flint again, thinking it was more "original".

Actually, they destroyed what had been official arsenal conversion work at the time of the Civil War (and immediately prior) and made them into what were essentially fakes. Some few were very well done, and could "pass for white" to use an old non-PC expression. Others were really badly done, and some were in between.

The process began to be frowned upon, and is not often done these days - leaving the percussion conversions to stand as part of the history of the arm. Life being what it is, I'd not be amazed to find that some bogus flint conversions have been "restored" back to percussion (for the second time).