AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: alex e. on August 09, 2008, 12:30:10 AM
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Help needed,
I am helping someone who is helping someone put together an AWI persona
and he is looking for a good picture or two of a Committee of Safety musket , Of Pa . origin?. Anything I have just shows sections
of it. Anyone care to share
a pic or two,or perhaps point me to a link?
thanks, alex
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Committee of Safety muskets are extremely rare due primarily to their being used up in the early days of the Revolution. They were made according to patterns adopted by the Committees of Safety in the individual states.These patterns were.however, very similar and were based on the British long land and short land pattern muskets.Prior to 1779 with the arrival of the French muskets procured by Benjamin Franklin American troops were armed with a variety of weapons such as the composite muskets and fusil muskets made by colonial gunsmiths.Four excellent sources are as follows:
1. "American Military Shoulder Arms" Vol. I:Colonial and Revolutionary War Arms by George D. Moller {1993} a rather pricey book but there's always your local library or interlibrary loan.
2."United States Martial Flintlocks" by Robert M. Reilly {1986} drawings rather than photos but a good book nonetheless.
3. "Battle Weapons of the American Revolution" by George C. Neuman {1998} another good book on these weapons.
4."Pattern Dates for British Ordnance Small arms 1718-1783 by De Witt Bailey,Ph. D. {1997} an excellent overview of British military arms during th Revolutionary War period.
Probably the best choice for a weapon for Rev. War persona would be a British musket either a Long land or even a short land pattern . The Long Land musket popularly called the First Model was used throughout the early part of the war but the Short Land musket popularly called the Second Model. was put into service in 1769 and gradually began to supplant the Long land musket and there was some overlapping.I would suggest that the person consult whatever group in which he is interested and get their advice.I hope this helps.
Tom Patton
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"Committee of Safety Musket" is probably one of the most overused and misunderstood terms in American arms collecting. Tom Patton is entirely right in saying they are extremely rare. There might be less than a dozen real ones although there are probably thousands of muskets assembled from parts to which the term is applied. Even granting the term a very broad definition and including the majority of assembled muskets whether they were purchased by a Committee of Safety or not, there aren't many of them. My own opinion, based on my 40 years or so of studying New England arms, is that the majority of assembled muskets date from the first 25 years after the Revolution.
I remember two friends of mine discussing this at a gun show once. (Both of whom are as knowledgeable as anyone in the area of early American flintlocks) Friend #1 says "How do you tell if its Revolutionary? Friend #2 replies "Thats easy, if it belongs to you its Revolutionary. If you're trying to buy it, it isn't."
That said, I know that the Pennsylvania Historic or Museum Commission (I'm not sure of the proper name) has one because the gentleman who gave it to them was a friend of mine. Its very similar to a Land Pattern musket, I think with a 46" barrel though its been many years since I've seen it. The real Committee of Safety muskets were rare when they were new and probably shouldn't even be considered "typical" of what a volunteer from Pennsylvania would have carried.
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http://www.thayeramericana.com
This guy has an interesting article dealing w/ US made muskets ca. 1780-1783. Might shed a little light on the matter. Neat stuff.
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I should also mention that he has some nice pieces for sale, including a few purported (according to him) Committee of Safety muskets. Take a look through his shoulder arms for sale. The photography is quite nice.
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Thanks guys, This should be of much help to him.
Alex E.