What is this marking?

[Sequatchie Rifle]

I just picked up a half stocked smoothbore with this marking. What U.S. long arm was this made from. I’m suspecting a model 1812 musket. It is roughly a 70 caliber.

[120RIR]

That's almost certainly the barrel off a M.1816 (or more likely M.1822/23) musket which was .69 cal.  The VP stands for "verified proof" and the eagle head simply a standard U.S. arsenal mark.

[Mike Lyons]

I have several 1917's and krags with the same eagle head with a 3 digit inspector number underneath.  Later on they used cross cannons, initials of armories, P's etc.  More marks were added if the rifle was reworked by another armory. On most military rifles, any mark you find on it will have a meaning and can help you trace the history. 

[Bill Paton]

I think the eagle looking to the left is from Harpers Ferry, and was on the model 1816 musket, but I am not at home to verify that in my library. Springfield muskets are looking opposite from HF. Somebody can check and let us know for sure.

Bill Paton

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Thanks. That helps narrow down the age of the gun. I remembered there was some significance to the style of the eagle and the direction is was facing, but didn’t have access to my reference books and gave up looking for it on the internet using my cell phone Google search!

[Robert Wolfe]

I have a similarly marked Model 1816 barrel. It has a date (1830) stamped lightly on the tang. You might want to inspect your tang closely.

[satwel]

That's almost certainly the barrel off a M.1816 (or more likely M.1822/23) musket which was .69 cal.  The VP stands for "verified proof" and the eagle head simply a standard U.S. arsenal mark.

My understanding is that the V stands for Viewed - that an inspector had gone over the musket.

[120RIR]

Yes...that's the other interpretation I'm aware of: View Proofed.  That might make more sense than "verified"?

[Seth Isaacson]

The English proof houses refer to them as proof and view marks.

[will payne]

looks like nice gun but I don't know what the markings are.

[Joe Stein]

The lock is marked A W Spies. He made muskets under contract to the U.S. Government. I can't get to my reference materials right now to give you any more info, but somebody else might chime in on this, or you might find something with an internet search.
-Joe Stein

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Thanks for the info.