Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a fantastic piece of Middle Eastern firearms history! This is a locally made Afghan flintlock musket, made very much in the style of a British "Brown Bess" musket. Additionally it does look to have used a British-made barrel, which could have been captured or left behind during the First Anglo-Afghan war, or afterwards.

These weapons were made in the mountainous border region between what was then Emirate of Afghanistan and British-Controlled India. One of the few ways through these mountains was the Khyber Pass, and the area has long had a reputation for producing unlicensed copies of firearms using whatever materials are available; more often than not, railway rails, scrap motor vehicles, and other scrap metal with basic hand tools. The quality of such firearms varies widely, ranging from as good as a factory-produced example to dangerously poor.

This is one such example, and it looks to have seen long service, having most likely been assembled circa 1860 for trade. These were sold to travelers, as well as to the locals, as a much more economic alternative to firearms from Europe or elsewhere. Many of these were kept and cared for, and actually ended up being used by Afghan Tribesmen when fighting the Soviet army, which invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and stayed for some 10 years.

The musket was at some point decorated with numerous brass tacks, as well as wrapped with brass wire around the wrist and nose, as well as with copper in two locations around the barrel between the upper and lower barrel bands. The lock is very similar to a Brown Bess lock, with a "Swan Neck" cock, very possibly sourced from nearby Nepal or elsewhere. The frizzen spring, frizzen, and pan are definitely of cruder manufacture, like the lock plate, which has some markings near the tail that we are not able to identify. Many of these would use markings that were meant to look like European markings from a distance.

The breech end of the barrel bears Birmingham proof marks, including the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / BPC "proof" and CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V "viewed" marks, with a 23 between them. This should indicates "23 bore", or a diameter of about .587 in., though measuring the barrel now, it is about 0.65". This could indicate extensive use, or a possible re-boring post manufacture. These are the style of markings used up until around 1855, which would be consistent with the proposed period. We checked them with a magnifier, and they definitely look to be correct. It is also possible that other British components were used during construction, but without any proof marks, their origins cannot be verified.

Condition overall is well matured, showing years of past cleaning, but no overly aggressive restoration. We checked the functionality of the lock, and it holds correctly at half cock, only releasing at full, though it does not work smoothly. We checked the bore, and it is like a stovepipe, showing extensive past fouling and oxidation. We do not know how the musket arrived on the market, but it is very likely that it was a bring-back from the War in Afghanistan, as numerous old firearms came out of the area. Unfortunately there is no documentation to support this.

This locally made Afghan flintlock musket combines Brown Bess-style construction with a British-proofed barrel, brass-tack decoration, and extensive wire wrapping around the stock and barrel. The lock remains functional at half and full cock, although its operation is rough, and the bore shows severe fouling, oxidation, and wear from extended use. The Birmingham proof and view marks appear consistent with period British barrel markings, while the remaining lock components and unidentified plate markings are characteristic of regional hand manufacture. Although its exact date, place of assembly, and later history are undocumented, it remains a distinctive example of a Khyber Pass-type musket assembled from a mixture of imported and locally made components.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1860
Caliber: .65 inches
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball / Shot & Powder
Barrel Length: 35 1/4 inches 
Overall Length: 52 1/8 inches
Action: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.