Arab Style Musket

rickystl · 27th May 2021, 08:05 PM

Hi Chris

Thanks for Posting again. Interesting information about your two guns.
I wouldn't try to take the barrels off either. Not worth messing up the silver since its nailed on.

Sepoy smooth bores. Hmmm..yes. Probably correct. I was thinking originally that the barrels might be surplus 1840-50's Enfield barrels not in use after the 1853 Enfield introduction with the rifled barrels. But the Supoy troops were still supplied with these smooth bores till at least the mid-1850's if my memory serves (?)

I do have a barrel and lock from a British 1858 rifled musket and a EIC lock that I will see if they fit in my Saudi gun. Just curious. I don't know if there was much change in the locks from the 1853 pattern and the earlier locks used with the smooth bores. We shall see.

Rick

Mefidk · 28th May 2021, 08:44 PM

Yes Rick - the 1859 model of the Enfield was specifically made for Sepoy troops after the Indian Mutiny. It is the only version of the barrel with the 'dog kennel' foresight.
So, a smoothbore barrel with this sight is an easy identification. The tombstone rear sight on these barrels is replaced. If it was a standard army issue it would have had a ladder sight. I don't know why this rounded sight with a hole was preferred, but this seems to be a local adaptation, and in both mine clearly brazed on later. The lock on mine is therefore incongruous, but the locks for at least 1856 to 1859 (which are the examples I have) are totally interchangable. I have an EIC musket from the 1840s and later (patterns C & F) but these are slightly different, and the pattern C lock would not fit a later Enfield, but I think that the pattern F would. This suggests to me that the locks from British 1850 guns were interchangeable - but I don't quite have enough examples to exchange them to test this (I sold my 1856 to my neighbour who was enthralled by it - maybe I can ask him for a loan to try the exchange).

I don't have an 1840s army issue rifle or smoothbore, but if it follows EIC then the lock is a different shape compared to the later versions (easiest spotted by the thicker forward part of the lockplate).

27th May 2021, 08:05 PM	#1
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,632	Hi Chris Thanks for Posting again. Interesting information about your two guns. I wouldn't try to take the barrels off either. Not worth messing up the silver since its nailed on. Sepoy smooth bores. Hmmm..yes. Probably correct. I was thinking originally that the barrels might be surplus 1840-50's Enfield barrels not in use after the 1853 Enfield introduction with the rifled barrels. But the Supoy troops were still supplied with these smooth bores till at least the mid-1850's if my memory serves (?) I do have a barrel and lock from a British 1858 rifled musket and a EIC lock that I will see if they fit in my Saudi gun. Just curious. I don't know if there was much change in the locks from the 1853 pattern and the earlier locks used with the smooth bores. We shall see. Rick

28th May 2021, 08:44 PM	#2
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Yes Rick - the 1859 model of the Enfield was specifically made for Sepoy troops after the Indian Mutiny. It is the only version of the barrel with the 'dog kennel' foresight. So, a smoothbore barrel with this sight is an easy identification. The tombstone rear sight on these barrels is replaced. If it was a standard army issue it would have had a ladder sight. I don't know why this rounded sight with a hole was preferred, but this seems to be a local adaptation, and in both mine clearly brazed on later. The lock on mine is therefore incongruous, but the locks for at least 1856 to 1859 (which are the examples I have) are totally interchangable. I have an EIC musket from the 1840s and later (patterns C & F) but these are slightly different, and the pattern C lock would not fit a later Enfield, but I think that the pattern F would. This suggests to me that the locks from British 1850 guns were interchangeable - but I don't quite have enough examples to exchange them to test this (I sold my 1856 to my neighbour who was enthralled by it - maybe I can ask him for a loan to try the exchange). I don't have an 1840s army issue rifle or smoothbore, but if it follows EIC then the lock is a different shape compared to the later versions (easiest spotted by the thicker forward part of the lockplate).