Help me Identify this gun

[NSBrown]

A friend sent me these photos and I told him I knew the place to get a good answer. What can you tell me about it?















Thanks for your expert help,
Stewart Brown

[westerner]

Looks like a German/American Turner to me.  Dont know what the marks are on the brass.


              Joe.

[TPH]

The marks are Nepalese script. This example is what International Military Antiques (IMA) is calling a "Brunswick P-1841 type Late Model Officer's Musket" - made in Nepal in the 1840s. These rare guns have been recently imported from Nepal along with a rifled version, many various British Martini and Snyder Rifles of various models, Nepalese copies of the British P53 Enfield Rifle Musket, India Pattern Brown Bess Muskets and others from the legendary "Nepal Cache". There is a great deal of interest in all of the various types and collectors have been snatching up the various examples quickly. For an untouched M1841 Brunswick, see:

http://www.ima-usa.com/militaria/antique-guns/untouched-guns/brunswick-p-1841-type-late-model-officers-musket-with-sword-bayonet-untouched.html

While dirty, many do clean up quite nicely as you can see from your friend's example. Before the recent imports, these were unheard of in this country. People new they existed but there were no examples to view.

[NSBrown]

That sure looks like it matches the photos. Thanks for the help...I'll pass your information along to the Mountain Man. I don't know how long he has had the gun.

[TPH]

Glad the information was helpful. When Nepal started making this gun, they were copying the British 1st Pattern Brunswick. This is a smoothbore version of the British rifle with no patchbox. They did make a rifled version with the patchbox as well. Here is a link to show a complete history of the British made Brunswick Rifle:

http://www.researchpress.co.uk/firearms/british/brunswick/brunswick.htm

This should help your friend identify where the variations from the original British pattern are.