{"product_id":"original-afghan-made-khyber-pass-flintlock-musket-with-wire-wrapped-stock-brass-tack-decoration-and-british-proofed-barrel-circa-1860","title":"Original Afghan-Made “Khyber Pass” Flintlock Musket with Wire-Wrapped Stock, Brass-Tack Decoration, and British-Proofed Barrel - Circa 1860","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe breech end of the barrel bears Birmingham proof marks, including the \u003cstrong\u003eCROWN \/ CROSSED SCEPTERS \/ BPC\u003c\/strong\u003e \"proof\" and \u003cstrong\u003eCROWN \/ CROSSED SCEPTERS \/ V\u003c\/strong\u003e \"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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear of Manufacture: circa 1860\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCaliber: .65 inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmmunition Type: Lead Ball \/ Shot \u0026amp; Powder\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBarrel Length: 35 1\/4 inches \u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 52 1\/8 inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction: Side Action Percussion Lock\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFeed System: Muzzle-Loaded\u003cbr\u003eFederal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNOTE: 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45410029862981,"sku":"ONAC26B002","price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/C0263E91-31DF-41C5-BA77-1E1C4FBC146A.jpg?v=1785181448","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-afghan-made-khyber-pass-flintlock-musket-with-wire-wrapped-stock-brass-tack-decoration-and-british-proofed-barrel-circa-1860","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}