Original Item: One of a Kind. Here we have a very interesting weapon, a very nice U.S. early 19th century "Militia Musket" from the State of Massachusetts, made circa 1820. It was later converted to percussion, most likely in the 1840s-1850s, to comply with the ammunition standards of the time. These were often privately made, such as this example, which is marked on the lock by the makers:

PAYSON
& NURSE
BOSTON

This is a known maker from Boston in the early 19th century, though it is unclear whether they were more of a manufacturer or a retailer. The lock looks very much like a "trade" lock, possibly imported from England or from the Ohio River valley. It was definitely made as a flintlock, and the mounting points for the frizzen and frizzen spring are still present, and were NOT plugged. The barrel was converted to percussion using a "barrel" style bolster, and there is a P proof mark on the left side, indicating that the barrel passed a military inspection.

The musket features a 42 inch .69" caliber barrel and overall length of 57 ½ inches, roughly conforming to the Springfield Model of 1816 patter, however the style of construction is much closer to a civilian musket. There are no sling swivels, and the barrel is attached to the stock via wedges, not the barrel bands that would be used on the Springfield muskets. The fittings are mostly of brass and it is a bit less robustly built as well. There is some lovely silver wire inlay around the tang of the barrel, and more on the back of the wrist surrounding a decorative escutcheon.

The metalwork is lovely, with the barrel still displaying a lot of the original bluing in some areas. The area near the cap bolster however shows a good amount of powder burn. The brass fittings all show a lovely "mustard" patina that just looks great. The stock is also beautiful, with some great grain and a lovely varnished finish. There is a bit of scratching from storage, but nothing major. The lock is still fully functional, holding at half cock and firing at full, however the cap nipple cone definitely has seen better days, and now is pitted and fouled from powder burn. There is still an original ramrod under the barrel, which looks to be original.

The included socket bayonet is in very nice condition, with a lovely plum patina overall, faded from the original blue. There is no major oxidation we can see, though the tip of the bayonet shows that it has been reduced in length at some point, possibly when the musket was converted to percussion. It is marked with US on the ricasso, over an inspection mark, and there are some other markings as well.

A lovely Massachusetts Militia musket by a known maker, later converted to percussion. Complete with the original bayonet, ready to research and display!

Specifications (musket):-

Year of Manufacture: circa 1820
Caliber: .69" Musket
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 42 inches
Overall Length: 57 ½ inches
Action: Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

Specifications (bayonet):-

Blade Length: 15 ¾”
Blade Style: Triangular
Socket Length: 3"
Overall length: 19”

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.

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