Help to ID this musket needed

[sasktraveler]

Info on this Tower 1839 marked musket appreciated

 

[RangeRover]

Hello there. What a lovely musket. Even with the grunge of ages upon it.

Based on the photos you have provided, this is likely a Pattern 1839 musket, but, it could also be a P/1845 Extra Service musket. To help...

I assume it is .75 calibre? Can you confirm that the barrel is held in place in the stock by barrel key/wedges rather than pins? (looks like keys based on the photo, but...) Is there any sign of there having been a rear sight on the barrel at some point? If the proof/acceptance marks on the barrel are still visible, can you share a photo of those, or include them in a reply. Any markings on the buttstock?

 

[milsurpo]

So, the P39 was the second Lovell percussion design after the P38 (which was way too expensive). They're not converted flintlocks but new muskets built using altered parts originally intended for flintlocks. It seems both parts for "New Land Pattern" and "India Pattern" muskets were used. Most of the ones seen in Canada (and there are lots of them) seem to fit the P1845 "Extra Service" designation mentioned by RangeRover. This designation is a fairly new one proposed by a researcher with the idea being that slightly downgraded P39s continued to be made for non-front line units well after the P39 was replaced by the P1842. As mentioned by RangeRover, the main downgrades appear to have been pins rather than wedges for barrel retention and elimination of the rear sight. If this one has wedges and evidence of rear sight it could be quite special!

milsurpo