Musket time

[vmicraig]

I did some research and have decided that this is an English Long Land Musket, circa 1768. The missing escutcheon plate from between the comb and barrel tang is a strong hint. The symbols on the butt tang appear to be 53 over H over a number. The 53 is for the 53rd Regt., part of Burgoyne's invasion force in 1777. The H stands for the 8th company under Capt. Baird which was captured at Fort Ticonderoga by Col. John Brown during his raid of 09/08/1777. Below the H should be a rack number. On the lock plate behind the hammer is the maker's name, F LORD, and below that should appear the year it was made.

This info and some pictures appear on page 61 of Battle Weapons of the American Revolution by George C. Neumann.

View attachment 546581
View attachment 546577

Pretty sure that lockplate is stamped 1762

 

[bayonet]

More questions! Is the lockplate F Lord or T Lord? There was a T Lord in Dublin Ireland in 1775 and earlier. Also a W Lord in London around 1715. Both Gunsmiths. I'd go with T Lord on that lockplate because of the crude GR and Crown. Markings from Irish gunsmiths in that century were much cruder that ones out of England.

 

[R. Porter]

It looks like "F LORD" to me. That is what is listed in the reference book for a musket issued to the same company as the one in the op. In the additional pictures you can just make out the lower horizontal bar ending in a short vertical bar. You can also see what looks like a broad arrow on the lock plate.

 

[bayonet]

It looks like "F LORD" to me. That is what is listed in the reference book for a musket issued to the same company as the one in the op. In the additional pictures you can just make out the lower horizontal bar ending in a short vertical bar. You can also see what looks like a broad arrow on the lock plate.

So which LORD was he? Son, Father, Uncle Fester Lord? Well for sure it's a Contractor from Dublin Castle in the Irish Establishment. Trulock was another out of Dublin Castle and there was 3 of them: James, Samuel, and Thomas.
Wait found it while typing: Francis Lord with 1762 dates! The Irish 1756 Pattern Long Land Muskets made between 1756-1775 less than 60,000 produced of all the Contractors combined. Also that model had no wristplate which is why it's marked on the buttplate. Get a hold of the book THE BROWN BESS by Eric Goldstein (I met him a few times).