Could These Be Old Gun Parts? Flintlock?

[Metdet49]

Hi all. I found these items near one of the early 1800's cellar holes/homesites I have been detecting. They weren't found together and were several feet from each other. I first thought they were random pieces of metal, but upon closer inspection I'm wondering if they aren't parts of a gun. The shorter piece is a little over 3" long and looks like a gun barrel could have fit through it. The longer piece is broken at one end and is 6" long as is. It looks like it could be a trigger guard ?? It is 1" wide at the bottom. The flat piece with the two holes has a "V" stamped on one side and what looks like a "10" or "01" depending on the orientation on the other side.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[creskol]

you betcha! nice finds

 

[Hunters Haven-NC]

sure looks like a forend and the trigger guard. The trigger guard looks like it had a sling band on it thus the hole in the rear for attachment. If you found that much there's probable more parts there. Maybe iron bands or barrel so you may want to cut your iron disc. off within the area you found these parts ang go over it slowley.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Looks like parts for a model 1840 Springfield musket, really nice finds! If you found that much of it I'll bet the lock and barrel are there too somewhere.....

 

[Metdet49]

Thanks guys for the prompt replies. I'll definitely be looking for other parts in that area. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Metdet49]

Looks like parts for a model 1840 Springfield musket, really nice finds! If you found that much of it I'll bet the lock and barrel are there too somewhere.....

Thanks Ken. Do you think that flat piece with the 2 holes is part of it as well? This piece measures 4" long and 1/2" wide.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Yes, it's the left side plate.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

As a guess the barrel and wooden forearm goes in the larger of the holes and a bayonet in the smaller. It s not of the locking type , but a simple plug in type ??

Don Jose

 

[NOLA_Ken]

As a guess the barrel and wooden forearm goes in the larger of the holes and a bayonet in the smaller. It s not of the locking type , but a simple plug in type ??

Don Jose

Small hole is for the ram rod

 

[wvwildman]

nice finds congrats HH

 

[Metdet49]

Yes, it's the left side plate.

View attachment 855647

Great picture Ken. That's it exactly. I don't know how to mark this thread as solved. I didn't see any info in the tutorial (??)

 

[BosnMate]

Thought I'd add a couple of pictures of the fore end to show how that fits on the musket.
Note, the front sight is on the rear band going over the barrel, the same as on your find. That square thing on the barrel that looks like it ought to be the front sight is actually the bayonet lug. The bayonet fit over the barrel, and a half turn locked it in place. Finally, here is a picture of the gun and bayonet. Sorry, I don't have one with the bayonet on the gun.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

NOLA, but yes, you are correct, the bayonets that I referred to were simply stuck into the barrel. Good catch of what should have been obvious to me -- Excuse , just woke up from a nap. A cuppa sock coffee in apology ?

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI Boson, there were different versions, on some, as you said, the bayonet assembly was rotated, on others a rotating ring in the assembly locked the bayonet to the barrel. Good post my friend.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[AU Seeker]

Great ID on these parts Nola Ken.

I think it's an earlier version than the M-1840 or the M-1835, both of these had the same side plate as in the picture Ken posted.

All earlier models, e.g. M-1822, M-1816, M-1812, and M-1795 model had a side plate that looks like what the OP has found.

M-1795 reproduction
1795 Model Springfield Infantry Musket - United States

http://www.militaryheritage.com/images/charleville4.jpg

M-1812
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/image...et/1812-springfield-flintlock-musket (10).jpg

Antique Arms, Inc. - Springfield Model 1812 Flintlock Musket w/ rare small Band Springs

M-1816
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/image...erate-type-I-harpers-ferry-springfield-16.jpg

Antique Arms, Inc. - Carruth U.S. Model 1816 Type I Flintlock Musket Mfd. 1819 in Greenville, SC

 

[Metdet49]

Great ID on these parts Nola Ken.

I think it's an earlier version than the M-1840 or the M-1835, both of these had the same side plate as in the picture Ken posted.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=855647&d=1378070842&thumb=1[/

All earlier models, e.g. M-1822, M-1816, M-1812, and M-1795 model had a side plate that looks like what the OP has found.

M-1795 reproduction
[URL="http://www.militaryheritage.com/musket17.htm"]1795 Model Springfield Infantry Musket - United States[/URL]

[URL]http://www.militaryheritage.com/images/charleville4.jpg[/URL]
[IMG]http://www.militaryheritage.com/images/charleville4.jpg

M-1812
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/image...et/1812-springfield-flintlock-musket (10).jpg

Antique Arms, Inc. - Springfield Model 1812 Flintlock Musket w/ rare small Band Springs

M-1816
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/image...erate-type-I-harpers-ferry-springfield-16.jpg

Antique Arms, Inc. - Carruth U.S. Model 1816 Type I Flintlock Musket Mfd. 1819 in Greenville, SC

You are correct Seeker. My sideplate has the bulge in the middle much like the one in your last picture. The "depth" of the loop of the trigger guard also matches better. Looks like I might have one of the earlier models as you have indicated.

Edit: Is it safe to assume that this Model 1816 likely came from the Springfield, Mass. factory due to my location here in Eastern NY?

Thanks to you and all of the other responders for your research and expertise.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

If I remember right, the earlier muskets had an iron nose cap rather than brass, I could be wrong though.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

NOLA_Ken has spoken up with what I've been thinking. In my opinion, none of Metdet49's three gunparts, all of which are BRASS, have been correctly identified. The suggestions so far are either iron, or do not exactly match in shape/form. I've been doing reseach to find exact matches in brass, but no success yet. For example, no match is shown among any of the longarms shown in the online Ridgeway Archive (most of which are American-made). This leads me to suspect they are European-made gunparts. I will continue researching for exact matches of shape/form in brass.

 

[Metdet49]

Thanks Cannonball, I appreciate your efforts. I thought that the Model 1816 was a close match on the forend and the side plate, but my trigger guard has a pointy end design on the front of it (note my picture on the right). The back end is broken off, but I would assume that that would have had the same design. Underneath the front end of the trigger guard I have found a small design stamped into the metal. It looks kind of like a club from a deck of cards with four small round holes, two above each other vertically and two opposite each other horizontally. This may be insignificant. but I thought I would pass it along.

Thanks again.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

CannonballGuy..... What are your thoughts on the possibility of it having been an 1816 contract musket from a maker other than Springfield? I had thought maybe Starr, but it looks like they used iron nose caps as well.