Antique Muzzloader Rifle - The Firearms Forum

Leeronpoodles · 10-20-2010, 08:19 PM

I have had this rifle for many years but have never done anything with it but hang it on the wall. I would like to find out more about it and possibly get an idea of price for insurance purposes. I am including several pictures of details on the stock. the right side has a medalion nailed on it, the left side has an inset mother of pearl arrowhead. A short distance from the arrowhead is some sort of marking that appears to have been burned into the wood unlike the backward R which was scratched in above the arrowhead. I am including a close up shot of that,
Under the buttplate is the roman numerals for 25 imprinted into the wood but not apparently burned in.
There is nothing I can see that indicates a maker or year.

45Auto · 10-21-2010, 12:34 PM

It looks like you have a Prussian M1809 musket, commonly called the Potsdam musket (because so many of them were made in that city). Originaly a flintlock, the Prussians converted them to caplock in the 1840's to1850's era. Some of these arms were purchased in the early years of the American Civil War by the US Govt., but they were not well liked and soon replaced by American made muskets. The last I checked, a realy nice, un-cut, Potsdam with all original parts was in the $600 to $700 range. BUT that's not what you have.

Unfortunately, someone cut your Potsdam stock down and added some little trinkets to the stock which also cut the value way down. There is not much collector interest in cut down Potsdam muskets, unless someone wants the parts. I would estimate it's wall hanger value at no more than $200.00.

Jim K · 10-21-2010, 12:41 PM

It is just one of the many millions of Civil War era muskets cut down for use as shotguns. They are interesting in that, as someone once noted, "Maybe the Winchester rifle won the West, but the old shotgun fed the pioneers while they were winning it."

Alas, that doesn't translate into money or collector interest in those old shotguns.

Jim

10-20-2010, 08:19 PM	#1
Leeronpoodles Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6	Antique Muzzloader Rifle I have had this rifle for many years but have never done anything with it but hang it on the wall. I would like to find out more about it and possibly get an idea of price for insurance purposes. I am including several pictures of details on the stock. the right side has a medalion nailed on it, the left side has an inset mother of pearl arrowhead. A short distance from the arrowhead is some sort of marking that appears to have been burned into the wood unlike the backward R which was scratched in above the arrowhead. I am including a close up shot of that, Under the buttplate is the roman numerals for 25 imprinted into the wood but not apparently burned in. There is nothing I can see that indicates a maker or year. Attached Images -->

10-21-2010, 12:34 PM	#2
45Auto Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,121	Re: Antique Muzzloader Rifle It looks like you have a Prussian M1809 musket, commonly called the Potsdam musket (because so many of them were made in that city). Originaly a flintlock, the Prussians converted them to caplock in the 1840's to1850's era. Some of these arms were purchased in the early years of the American Civil War by the US Govt., but they were not well liked and soon replaced by American made muskets. The last I checked, a realy nice, un-cut, Potsdam with all original parts was in the $600 to $700 range. BUT that's not what you have. Unfortunately, someone cut your Potsdam stock down and added some little trinkets to the stock which also cut the value way down. There is not much collector interest in cut down Potsdam muskets, unless someone wants the parts. I would estimate it's wall hanger value at no more than $200.00. Last edited by 45Auto; 10-21-2010 at 12:36 PM..

10-21-2010, 12:41 PM	#3
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Antique Muzzloader Rifle It is just one of the many millions of Civil War era muskets cut down for use as shotguns. They are interesting in that, as someone once noted, "Maybe the Winchester rifle won the West, but the old shotgun fed the pioneers while they were winning it." Alas, that doesn't translate into money or collector interest in those old shotguns. Jim