Flintlock muzzleloader value?

S

SHACK

Member
GunNutz
Rating - 100%
30   0   0
So I'm cleaning out my safe of some firearms that are no longer needed, and a while back I was given a flintlock muzzleloading shotgun with all the bells and whistles. However, I really don't think I will use it, and I'm wondering what if any value it may have. If anyone is in the know, I would greatly appreciate some insight into it's value so I can have a reasonable expectation of what to sell it for.
It does have a box full of goodies (leather shot pouch, powder dispenser, extra flints, etc)
1000005247.jpg1000005249.jpg1000005250.jpg1000005251.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 1000005252.jpg
    1000005252.jpg
    101.2 KB · Views: 35
It appears to be a reproduction roughly based in the British India Pattern Brown Bess military musket. There are some differences and I have never seen one - even of the poorest quality - that did not have the engraving on the lock. Just a wild guess here, but I suspect it might be a lower quality Indian made piece. Doesn't appear to have been fired much (if at all) and in very good condition. If it is a low quality Indian made piece, I would put a value of $600 to $800 on it, but could be way off base.
It would help if you could post clear photos of all makings and an assessment of bore condition.
 
OK, it is not a shotgun, it is a musket, although it certainly could be loaded as a shotgun. Enough wear on the frizzen face to suggest it has seen use.
British proofs? If so, shooting it shouldn't be a problem. How well does the lock spark?
I certainly don't recognize the make. Looks to be neatly made.
Without a hands on inspection, I suggest it might bring $500 - $1000.
 
The clues are the nice new wood and fine markings. Old stocks are smooth, often scratched and gouged from use, and have shrank around the metal fittings. The old timers had small hand stamps and marked only as much as required by the guilds and proof houses.

It is not thousands of dollars, nor is it $200 cash.
 
remove the lock and have a look on backside ..If it says made in Italy ...one value if it is a Chambers , Davis ,or L&R lock it will be a custom build

or a possible Loyalist Arms Repro
 
Ok, so it's not worth "nothing" per say, but I'll see about removing the "lock" to see if there is any makers marks on or inside of it. I'll look it over again to see if I can find any other stamps/markings etc. I'll also mix the muzzle, as I thought it was a shotgun as it's quite the bore, and came with everything to be used as such.
 
Generic reproduction Brown Bess type muskets have been commercially made in Italy, Japan, India, with limited production in the UK, the US and here.
I don't recognize this one. It is neatly done, and certainly does not appear to be a "one-off".
The 10 in a diamond suggests 10ga.
 
Here's a few pics of the lock removed, only looks like the letter "C" stamped behind it.
Also ran my bore scope down the muzzle, and nothing stands out there, could use a cleaning but appears silver with very minimal surface rust just forming (a cleaning would easily remove that) my vernier calipers have a dead battery, but the muzzle
loosely mics out to .748 or 19mm give or take a bit. 1000005264.jpg1000005263.jpg1000005262.jpg
 
Here's some of the other goodies that come with the rifle as well, what looks to be a shot dropper full of lead shot, a pouch with 2 buckhorn hand tools, some patch materials inside, with a powderhorn. Also 2 separate buckskin powder dispensers. 1000005283.jpg1000005282.jpg1000005281.jpg1000005280.jpg1000005279.jpg1000005278.jpg
 
Maybe an early Dixie Gunwork import, they had a lot
of items made in Belgium in the 60-70's period.
 
I see both machine marks and inconsistent inlet on the pretty new - pretty nice stock. I think that barrel might be upside down. There is a notch filed in the bottom of the pan probably meaning the touch hole sat too low for the lock. I don't recognize the lock - it does not look like a modern lock - though I would expect to see some actual markings on it if it were older.
The browning on the barrel is 'meh'

I think this is someone trying to repurpose a spare lock and barrel with a few new parts and precarve stock. If the barrel is in fact upside down it may have come from the left side of a flint double - that would explain the touch hole location as well.
Figure out the barrel, those markings are in English and what appears to be a rampant lion - I would start looking at British proof markings.
also, what is the barrel length? what is the wall thickness at the muzzle?
Lets get a picture of the lock inlet a picture of how the trigger is installed as well as some detail pics of the butt plate and trigger guard.
 
Here are a couple of double shotguns made using pairs of Brown Bess barrels. Top one had the barrels shortened at the breech, now 37", the lower used full 39" barrels. These are BIG guns, pushing 14 pounds.
I think the likelihood of the OP's gun using the left barrel from a flint double from a flint double is extremely remote.
More likely explanation for the notch in the flash pan is that the gun was set up using an already vented barrel, and the builder got the lock just a bit high. Or the touch hole was drilled a bit low and the pan had to be notched to correct the situation. The colour of the browning looks like that obtained with Birchwood Casey True Brown. It was someone's project gun. Perhaps Indian, subsequently reworked.
I'd like to see good closeups of the proof marks, the lock inletting, etc.
Looking at the accessories, the outfit was put together by a serious hobbyist.
Look IMG_1032.JPG
IMG_0933.JPG
 
Last edited:
This is an Indian made Bess that’s been refinished and put through a British proof house as required by law. Worth no more than any other Indian Bess. Maybe 700-800$ max. And that’s because of the nicer refinish done on it. Where it’s smoothbore it was proofed as a shotgun. Which is the norm for the British proof house. This way it can be owned much easier and placed on a regular shotgun license. A rifle license is much harder to obtain. If you aren’t intending to shoot a flintlock or antique in UK it can be purchased off the license. However as soon as you intend to shoot it it then becomes a firearm and if in smoothbore, falls under the shotgun category and goes on a shotgun license. Which requires it to be in proof.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom