I bought this on Black Friday.  It was originally a US Model 1816 smoothbore flintlock .69 caliber musket, most likely a Type II or III.  It was converted by Frankford Arsenal in about 1858 with a Remington-made percussion Maynard Tape-lock and also rifled..  Still in .69 caliber.  Around 20,000 of these conversions were done and many saw service in the Civil War.  Mine is one of ones that did not get fitted with a "long range" rear sight (and in fact has no rear sight at all and was never fitted with one).

I'm happy to have it and it seems very solid.  As with nearly everything I buy, I DO plan to shoot it if it is solid and safe (as it seems).  I have not done any cleaning yet.  The bore looks quite good without major pitting.  The entire length of the bore looks like what I have pictured.










Not sure if that is writing in another language behind the buttplate screw, or just some marks.  (Looks kinds of like Arabic, or the writing of Nepal or Ethiopia maybe?)




I have not yet opened the Maynard door to check on the guts.  The hammer locks solidly at both half- and full-cock with very strong mainspring pressure.  Ramrod comes out easily.  Its head is very bulbous and is actually domed rather than dished for ball or bullet (these were intended for a .69-caliber Minie-type bullet).  I did not note any cracks in the stock.

As usual, I welcome comments and input on this old timer!  Thanks.

Rob

Unusually nice condition.  I would not fire it.

Sweet. Really good rifling, hardly used; probably just drilled with.

Weight? Where down the forearm does it balance off-hand?

Does it retain any of the markings on the breach end of the barrel and tang? The difference between type 2 and type 3 was only National Armory Brown vs Bright.

Very cool OP.

When you open it up, please do post a pic of the mechanism!  Despite the verdict of history, I have a fond spot for the tape primer mechanism.

@HenryKnoxFineBooks

That is beautiful - I also expected to see the 1855 style rear sight to go with the rifling. A .69 cam minie ball is a big chunk of lead, and probably did not have the intended ballistic properties - almost twice the weight of the .58 cal ball.

Working on my own restoration project with the goal of being able to send some "buck and ball" downrange:

Attached File

Just back from vacation away from the computer.  Thanks for the comments so far.

How do you open the Maynard door?  Is the little screw/stud next to the door a latch of some type?  Push, pull, turn or some other manipulation needed?  

I had a package waiting from S&S Firearms with some original pattern Minies and some of their 500 gr "wadcutter" bullets.  So I can feed it.  I think I have some round balls of about the right size, too.

rob

Please share your source for old muskets

Very good condition.

If you ever shoot it, do it a few times with a .69 cal minie and then put three dimes down the barrel and the powder atop.  The soldiers said this dampened the recoil.  Not the normal three cheers and a tiger (normally meant 3 buckshot and 1 ball).  Let us know.

Nice Musket.  
Same lock plate year as my 1842 that I use in N-SSA competition.