Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive Prussian Model 1809/39 smoothbore percussion musket manufactured at the Royal Prussian arsenal at Danzig and complete with a correctly styled socket bayonet.

Commonly known to American collectors as a “Potsdam” musket, this substantial .72-caliber military arm measures approximately 56 1/2 inches overall and retains the long 41-inch barrel, heavy brass furniture, and robust military construction associated with Prussian infantry weapons of the early 19th century.

The musket began its service life within the Prussian military system before being converted from flintlock to the percussion configuration. Arms of this general pattern were later sold as military surplus and imported into the United States in significant numbers during the Civil War, when both the Union and Confederacy urgently sought serviceable firearms from European sources. Prussian percussion muskets were among the foreign arms used to equip newly raised American regiments during the early years of the conflict.

While this particular musket does not retain a documented American unit marking or individual Civil War provenance, its pattern, percussion configuration, and apparent period of use place it squarely within the type of Prussian surplus arms imported for the conflict.

The Model 1809 was developed as the principal Prussian infantry musket during the Napoleonic era. Its long smoothbore barrel, sturdy lock, and substantial furniture reflected a military system that valued durability and standardized construction.

As percussion ignition replaced flintlock technology during the 1830s and 1840s, large numbers of earlier Prussian muskets were altered or rebuilt for percussion caps. These updated arms are generally known to collectors as Model 1809/39 muskets.

The percussion system was far more dependable than flintlock ignition, particularly in damp weather. A small copper cap placed over the nipple contained the priming compound, eliminating the exposed powder pan and flint used on the original configuration.

By the 1840s, Prussia was beginning to replace smoothbore muzzleloaders with the revolutionary Dreyse needle-fire rifle. The older percussion muskets were consequently relegated to secondary use or sold from government stores, making large quantities available for export by the beginning of the American Civil War.

The lockplate has the distinctive curved tail terminating in a small teat associated with the earlier Model 1809 form, rather than the later-style lockplate normally seen on newly manufactured Model 1839 arms.

Forward of the hammer, the lock is marked:

(CROWN)
DANZIG

Beneath the arsenal marking is the date:

1837

Danzig was an important Prussian arms-manufacturing center located on the Baltic coast in the city now known as Gdańsk, Poland.

The lockplate displays an attractive gray patina with light oxidation and age-related discoloration. There are no markings visible behind the hammer.

The barrel has a different date from the lock. The breech area is marked: 1822. It also bears the royal proof:

(CROWN)
FW

This marking refers to King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, who reigned from 1797 until 1840, and is correct for a military barrel inspected during his reign.

The difference between the 1822 barrel date and the 1837 lock date indicates that the musket was assembled or rebuilt using components from different periods. The barrel may have been exchanged during arsenal maintenance or when the musket was altered to percussion ignition.

Such component replacement was common in military arsenals, where serviceable parts were reused rather than discarded.

The left barrel flat is marked: 3887. Adjacent to this is a Prussian proof consisting of:

(CROWN)
S

The musket retains its correct brass furniture, including the trigger guard, sideplate, and barrel bands. The buttplate is iron. The rear finial of the trigger guard and the toe of the buttplate terminate in the distinctive three-pointed form associated with this pattern. Both original sling swivels are missing. They were removed at some point during the musket’s long service or civilian life, possibly for reuse on another firearm. The lock remains functional. It holds correctly at half-cock and releases only from the full-cock position. There is visible powder staining and scorching around the breech and percussion area, indicating that the musket was fired extensively after conversion.

The steel barrel retains areas of its original bright military finish, now mixed with gray patina and scattered peppered oxidation. There is no modern blue finish or evidence of extensive refinishing.

The overall appearance is that of an honest military musket that experienced significant use and regular handling.

The stock appears to be beech or possibly walnut and has developed an attractive light honey-brown color with a smooth, polished patina. It displays minor dents, scratches, pressure marks, and other evidence of service but remains structurally sound. No major cracks, large losses, or significant repairs are noted. The combination of relatively clean wood, aged brass, and gray steel gives the musket excellent visual appeal.

The included socket bayonet is of the correct general Prussian type and fits securely over the muzzle.

The ricasso is marked: H. The arm connecting the socket to the blade is marked with what appears to be: 179. The bayonet shows evidence of past peppered oxidation that has since been cleaned, leaving an attractive mottled gray patina. The triangular blade remains complete, and the socket fits the barrel correctly and locks securely in place.

The Model 1809 musket was approximately musket length by Napoleonic standards, with a bore considerably larger than the later .58-caliber rifled muskets that came to dominate the American Civil War. It fired a round lead ball or buck-and-ball paper cartridge and was most effective when used in massed infantry volleys at relatively short range.

By the 1860s, the smoothbore Potsdam was technologically obsolete when compared with the Springfield and Enfield rifle-muskets. Nevertheless, the enormous demand for arms at the beginning of the Civil War made older European percussion muskets valuable.

They were issued particularly during the early-war emergency, when governments, states, militia organizations, and private agents purchased nearly any functional military arm available. As newer rifles became more plentiful, many smoothbores were transferred to rear-area units, state troops, guards, or militia organizations.

This example’s burned breech area, mixed arsenal dates, worn metal surfaces, and functional lock all reflect the extended working life typical of these military surplus muskets.

The musket should be considered a collectible antique and not a firearm intended for shooting. Any consideration of firing would require a complete inspection by a qualified gunsmith experienced with antique percussion arms.

With its clearly dated Danzig lock, earlier royal-proofed barrel, functional percussion action, complete brass furniture, attractive untouched patina, and well-fitting socket bayonet, this is an excellent representative example of the Prussian muskets associated with the Civil War arms trade.

A compelling two-piece set linking the military arsenals of early 19th-century Prussia with the desperate international search for weapons during the American Civil War.

Specifications, Musket:
Lock Date: 1837
Barrel Date: 1822
Manufacturer: Royal Prussian Arsenal at Danzig
Model: Model 1809/39 Percussion Musket
Caliber: Approximately .72"
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball and Black Powder
Barrel Length: 41"
Overall Length: 56 1/2"
Action: Side-Lock Percussion
Feed System: Single-Shot Muzzleloader

Specifications, Bayonet:
Type: Socket Bayonet
Blade Length: 19"
Blade Form: Triangular
Socket Length: 3"
Overall Length: 22 3/4"

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