Unidentified old percussion Musket...pls help - The Firearms Forum

bluesea112 · 08-28-2006, 07:03 PM

I own an old percussion musket handed down to me from my uncle. There are very few markings, but I am hoping someone will recognize them and tell me what I have on my hands.
The marking are as follows:

Printed on top of barrel: Made in Belgium

Stamped on underside of barrel close to breech: 1) The letters "GN" with two crossed swords next to the letters. 2) A very small capital "A" laying on it's side wearing a crown at the teepee point of the "A". Next to horizontal "A", the number 27.0 VIII is stamped.
3) Capital "A" with a plus sign directly over it. 4) The letter "E" with the letters LG directly under it. All three letters form a pyramid with "E" on top. There is a circle around the pyaramid of letters.

One end of the barrell is threaded and has a breech plug screwed into it. I removed the breech plug and looked down the barrel. No sign of rifling. The
diameter of the hole at the muzzle end is exactly 5/8". The wall of the barrel is 1/8" thick.

That is all I have. Can any of you wise men help me. I have seen miracles performed here before, and it would surely be one if you could identify this percussion muzzleoader from only my explalnation.

Thank you, in advance, for your assistance!

Charles

Xracer · 08-29-2006, 08:22 AM

This is a real tough one Charles. No possible way to determine who the manufacturer was.

During the late 1800's a lot of smoothbore European percussion muskets were imported and sold as very low-end shotguns.....usually in the $1.25 to $1.50 range. I suspect that this is what you have.

By about 1900, surplus Civil War Springfields were becoming available and a lot of these were being cut down and sold as shotguns.

My 1902 Sears, Roebuck Catalog shows cut down Model 1863 Springfields being sold as shotguns for $2.75 on page 304.

08-28-2006, 07:03 PM	#1
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Unidentified old percussion Musket...pls help I own an old percussion musket handed down to me from my uncle. There are very few markings, but I am hoping someone will recognize them and tell me what I have on my hands. The marking are as follows: Printed on top of barrel: Made in Belgium Stamped on underside of barrel close to breech: 1) The letters "GN" with two crossed swords next to the letters. 2) A very small capital "A" laying on it's side wearing a crown at the teepee point of the "A". Next to horizontal "A", the number 27.0 VIII is stamped. 3) Capital "A" with a plus sign directly over it. 4) The letter "E" with the letters LG directly under it. All three letters form a pyramid with "E" on top. There is a circle around the pyaramid of letters. One end of the barrell is threaded and has a breech plug screwed into it. I removed the breech plug and looked down the barrel. No sign of rifling. The diameter of the hole at the muzzle end is exactly 5/8". The wall of the barrel is 1/8" thick. That is all I have. Can any of you wise men help me. I have seen miracles performed here before, and it would surely be one if you could identify this percussion muzzleoader from only my explalnation. Thank you, in advance, for your assistance! Charles -->

08-29-2006, 08:22 AM	#2
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	Re: Unidentified old percussion Musket...pls help This is a real tough one Charles. No possible way to determine who the manufacturer was. During the late 1800's a lot of smoothbore European percussion muskets were imported and sold as very low-end shotguns.....usually in the $1.25 to $1.50 range. I suspect that this is what you have. By about 1900, surplus Civil War Springfields were becoming available and a lot of these were being cut down and sold as shotguns. My 1902 Sears, Roebuck Catalog shows cut down Model 1863 Springfields being sold as shotguns for $2.75 on page 304.