Springfield Armory 1812 Pattern Type IV Flintlock Musket

[WESTbury]

In 1816, the Ordnance Dept. began a series of changes to the Type III 1812 Pattern musket. The changes included a redesign of the buttstock by extending the comb by approx. 1-1/2 inches to give greater strength in the wrist area, eliminating the cheek cutout in the left side of the buttstock, lengthening the fore end of the stock by 1/2 inch, and eliminating the anti-rotation lug from the bottom of the barrel at the muzzle end. Also, changes were made to the style and placement of the markings of the lock and some of the markings of the barrel and the buttplate tang.

The musket shown in the photos has a very dark patina. Originally, all parts were polished bright.

Some collectors refer to these Type IV Muskets as 1812-1816 Transitional Muskets.

[varsity07840]

The 1816 has the same stock profile with no comb. I found mine impossible to shoot to point of aim until I put a lace on comb riser on it. Problem solved.

[WESTbury]

As far as I can tell from reading the Ordnance letters about the change to the buttstock, all they seemed to be concerned with was strengthening the wrist and not affecting what they called "The Exercise of the Musket", which we now call the Manual of Arms.

Marksmanship did not seem to worry them otherwise, the Cheek Recess in the buttstock would not have been done away with. Besides, they used Linear Tactics which relied on volume of fire, not accuracy. I don't think you could hit the broad side of a barn at 100 yards with these old smooth bores, or at least your aiming point.

It is telling though that when the design of the Model 1840 Flintlock Musket was developed, the buttstock of those muskets had a high comb to the butt and long wrist, as shown in the photo below.

[WESTbury]

The 1812 Pattern was produced for only 3 years, late 1814 through January 1818. During that short period there were four distinct Types and eight variations based on lock type, markings, barrel bands and buttstock.
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