ETN yard sale find

[Trkdriver99]

Here are some pictures of an ETN musket that I found at a yard sale this morning. It is rather rough but I think it could look a lot better with a little TLC. The barrel is 41 1/2" x 7/8"  and .32 or .36 and I believe it is straight. It has a lock plate that started life as a flint and I believe the musket did too. The wood around lock panel has been replaced, see in photos. Iron mounted, double set triggers I can't see a name on it anywhere. I have not taken the barrel out to see if anything is on bottom flat. There is a copper nose cap that has been nailed on with square nails, likewise the panel replacement has little square nails and a piece of iron sheet at the back. I don't take the best photos in the world so here it is.










Any ideas about where it is from or who made it?

Ronnie

[longrifle]

I'm sorry, I can't help you with information on the gun, maybe one of the others will be able to tell you more about it. That is a interesting old gun. I've never found anything like that a garage sale or yard sale. Don't try to do much cleaning on it other than just a gentle cleaning until you hear what others have to say. That is a great find.

[Nate McKenzie]

Wow! I never pass up a good yard sale but I've never been that lucky.  That is not a musket and is not military. What you have is a nice Tenn. or southern mountain rifle. I can't tell from the pictures if it is rifled or smooth-bore but it is built like a rifle. The lock was never flint as there is no evidence of a pan and there is only one lock screw. A nice addition to any southern collection.

[Glenn]

Green with envy here.  I never see these in Texas.  Can't believe you found this at a yard sale ... WOW !!! 

[Curt J]

What a great find!  It's things like this that keep me going to yard sales.  About 15 years ago a lady here locally bought an old gun for her husband at a yard sale. She paid $5 for it.  It just happens to be a fullstock with a patchbox and a few inlays, signed "Dickert & Gill" in script. I watched this couple turn down a $1,000 offer for it at a gun show a few weeks after she bought it. As far as I know they still have it.

[oakridge]

Wow! Great gun. I'd sure like to see some pics of the buttstock and buttplate.

[LynnC]

  What Luck 

Great find on a good ole southern mountain rifle - even has an over the comb tang!

Don't mess with it - it looks pretty good as is.  JMHO

You Done Good..............................Lynn

[LynnC]

Oh and how bout that funky stirrup between the tumbler and main spring hook?
Home made repair for sure..........

[Trkdriver99]

Here are the photos of the buttstock.



It is rifled, shot out but you can see the rifling. The reason that I thought it had been a flint was the lock plate has been cut/ground for clearance around the drum.
I have no intention of doing anything other than a good cleaning with a mild furniture cleaner and wax and a little oil on the metal.
Thanks for the replies.

Ronnie

[rich pierce]

Great find, Ronnie!  There are still good ones out there, I guess!

[Sequatchie Rifle]

A very decent East Tennessee Rifle!  What a great find!!!!

[Curt J]

It has all of the features one might look for in an East Tennessee rifle.  Nice hand-forged buttplate and trigger guard, and nice architecture.  You did good, REAL good!

[shortbarrel]

I've seen some mountain rifles,with the funky sturrip between the tumbler and mainspring. Seems to have been a common fix for broken lock parts. By the way, I think I have one of these rectangular funky sturrips in a junk parts box.

[JTR]

What a great find!!!!
If I'd of found it, I wouldn't have even set it down again while reaching for my wallet!

The funky sturrip seems to go well with the equally as funky main spring!
Along with the reat of the repairs you mention, it looks like a cool repair up on the end of the ramrod too.

John