Musket? Some kind of gun.

[s34mu5]

Hi all, new here as you can probably tell if post count is enabled (that's how new I am, I haven't even looked).

Anyway, I was at my grandparents tonight and asked my Granda what guns he had in his gun cupboard. He said he had one very old one that he was given from an old woman a long time ago. He said it could of been given to her husband.

He showed me it and it is some kind of flintlock - I remember studying them when I studied the Jacobites in Primary school. You pour the gunpowder in the top and push it down with the rod (which is underneath the barrel) then you put some on the lock piece and pull it back etc...

I tried it and it works very well, it still has a piece of flint still in it which sparks!

Here is a picture






Any ideas on where this has come from or how much it could be worth?

also to add,
Marking, it had 2 markings on the barrel that looked like a crown with 2 swords crossed below it
it also had a something written on the side which I have a picture off which I may upload it said "Fogelberg" - I think it is a name.
other than that there are no markings/writing from what I saw, but it is very well etched/decorated all over in the wood and the metal.

Thanks a lot to all responses
Seamus


*edit*
another pic

[D&b antiques]

I think the texas Badger will be a long shortly. He does our fire arms appraisals. My suggestion is it's Prussian made in the danzig armory about 1836.

I better back off before I make a fool of my self. & leave this too those in the know.

[railman44]

It seems to be in amazing condition considering it's age.  It's a flintlock and not a 'musket'.  I think if you Google it's maker a lot can be discovered.

[s34mu5]

I don't know it's maker...

I google the name and it happened to be the same name as some famous dead singer/artist guy.

I found on similar to it.

it's the one in the frame if this link works. 3rd from the bottom of the list.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oldguns.co.uk/images/2682.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.oldguns.co.uk/list.html&usg=__q3m2pWsgJpWsm6yVNzOZTGroxAE=&h=284&w=900&sz=78&hl=en&start=2&sig2=YdVY2wpuJ9MVaZU_McWa8g&um=1&tbnid=hX_fOLcE6DcEdM:&tbnh=46&tbnw=146&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dirish%2BCB-1136%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_en-GBGB320GB321%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=_zITSu_TEMiY-gay4ZyhDw

Similar, but not the same.

And yeah I was surprised by the condition also. It is very good.

Thanks so far

[KC]

Not an expert by far....but it appears to be a flintlock musket (I don't see any sights on it from the picture - muskets were made to cover area and not to aim  for a particular object like a flintlock rifle).  I can't zoom  in enough to see if sights are there......
Guessing foreign made as well.  Generally a crown was on English and French then the other symbol or initial underneath would make it more identifiable.

[cogar]

I copied pic and then zoomed in, could not see any sight on barrel and not sure why it is so "shiny".      The diameter and length of the barrel tells me it was a shotgun or as KC noted, a "scatter gun" and was made for really close range shooting/fighting like 20 or 30 feet max. I say that because of the barrel length. Black powder is slow burning and the longer the barrel the more pressure build up behind the charge. 

[Texasbadger]

D&B pretty well nailed it along with the rest of the guys, interesting flaring to the muzzle of the "blunderbuss" type,,,rumored to make the firing pattern spread out, but in reality it was to make reloading easier from horseback.  I can see this one on a coach or carriage next to the driver.  $700+ ballpark.  I had an earlier model that had the "East India Trading Co." cartouche in the stock,,,,boy I take a nap and look what shows up!

[regularjoe2]

I'm no expert on these flintlocks , but I'll hazard a guess that it's a 'birding' gun .

Nice weapon , s34mu5 !

[regularjoe2]

You might want to take a look at : nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/revwar/image_gal/morring/blunderbuss.html

Morristown National Historical Park


Wood & Brass , 101.6cm length

If you go here , you'll see one being fired .... yikes ! :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmuCOM3hyz8

[KC]

Wish I could pull up that nps.gov section - says page not available.  However, I googled blunderbuss and sure-nuff there are pics that look like this gun!  Lots of them!  Just got educated a little more!

http://www.militaryheritage.com/musket9.htm

[s34mu5]

Yeah it doesn't have any sights on it, I noticed that when I was holding it.

So you guys think it is from the 18th Century? and it's a Blunderbuss.

I live in Scotland and my Granda just had this lying locked in his gun cupboard and said he would never use it or is bothered if he sees it again.

If it is worth a lot I wouldn't mind selling it as it is not a family air loom but was given to us when someone was clearing out.

Do you guys have any idea of its value and where/how I would get it sold?

Thanks a lot for your help so far guys.

[railman44]

Considering the flintlock's age, I'm assuming it's exempt from the draconion gun laws in your part of the world.  I would look for collectors in your country first.  Many buyers in the USA demand an inspection period of 3 days after purchase which allows a grace period with which they can return the firearm if at all misrepresented.  That could get expensive and time consuming with overseas shipping and customs.  Take lots of good in-focus pictures and sniff out the markets in Germany, France and elsewhere fairly close to Scotland.  Looking at the multiple bids from dealers and collectors from your "neck of the woods", you should get a good idea of the true value.  My .02 pesos.

[KC]

Found the blunderbuss interesting and have been reading further on it.  Originally used by calvary.  Later became the desired weapon of choice on military ships because it covers more area within a limited space.  Was/is a favorite among pirates because you can put just about anything in the barrel to shoot (nails, metal pieces) thus making it noted as being one of the most deadliest guns...!  WOW!

Used in Pirates of the Carribean!!!