1779-S Brown Bess Short Land Musket

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Antique Item #C3319

1779-S Brown Bess Short Land Musket

  • Licensing Category: Antique
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    We are pleased to offer a rather scarce if not rare variation of the British Brown Bess musket.  This is a pattern 1779-S short land musket. These muskets are considered to be quite rare (Reference see page 132 "The Brown Bess" by Goldstein & Mowbray and other standard texts especially by De Witt Bailey).  This example remains in above average original condition.  This example shows the lock identical to the one on page 133 of the above reference.  There were two contracts to the trade.  First contract 1779-1780, second one 1793-1795.  The back side of the lock shows a WG crown over 1 and VS marks.  The barrel also shows the crown over 1 marking. This musket shows the crown 6 ordnance inspectors mark below the triggerguard and the storekeepers mark on the right side of the butt.  In addition, there is an initial carved in the stock M D similar to the illustration on page 138.  This initial may well be related to some of the background history of this musket.  This Bess was acquired by the former owner from an old man in the 1960's who was in his 80's. The piece was previously owned by his father Moses Denton who's initials are carved in the stock.  This musket came from the Grand Lake Region of New Brunswick and probably was a musket issued to the New Brunswick militia.  Unlike the N.S. militia most of the New Brunswick arms were not unit or county marked.   Over the years I have seen a number of muskets that were carried and used by the famous 104th regiment.  One can only speculate that this piece may well have been one of the muskets and carried on the Grand March and saw service in the war of 1812.  This musket remains in far better than average condition.  All of the component parts are original including the ram rod and the Hadley bayonet which came with the musket when it was acquired in the 1960's by the prior owner.  The bayonet shows the crown 6 ordnance inspectors mark.  This is the first time that I have ever encountered a bayonet showing the same inspection marks.  There is no doubt that this is the original bayonet to the musket.  A very scarce 1779-S musket and bayonet.  Built and issued prior to 1800.  Note: Hadley began supplying bayonets in 1779.