Backwoods Flint Conversion

[120RIR]

Okay - definitely not a long rifle but I thought this crowd would appreciate the photos just the same since conversions on long rifles are so commonly encountered.  This is a M.1816 U.S. musket produced by Philadelphia contractor M.T. Wickham.  The stock is marked to the Sussex Brigade of N.J. State Militia.  Sussex County is on the Delaware River across from Pike County, Penn (two counties north of Northampton County) and and believe me, there's a lot more "backwoods" in N.J. than most people would think - even to this day.  Clearly, it's not a professional conversion and I can just see this having been done by a local blacksmith ca. 1850s when state militias were converting huge stores of flint 1816s to percussion.  I suspect the Sussex County contingent of the N.J. State Militia may have sold off their old flint 1816s to local buyers; one of whom converted the lock, and dovetailed the rear barrel band for a sight. I especially like the lead-tipped wood replacement ramrod.








is aluminum sulfate soluble

[rollingb]

Rather crude, yet effective,.... and sort'a looks like some of my work. 

[smokinbuck]

Pretty doesn't always win the race!
Mark