Committee of Safety musket?

[Flintandsmoke]

I bought this at the CLA billed as a bess barrel in a committee of safety musket with a NJ maker on the lock, Thomas Annely was a well know NJ gun maker, can anyone help me ID this? It has no British proof markings on the barrel yet its stamped “42” and shows signs of having had, at one point a bayonet Lug.

[Eric Kettenburg]

A lot of funkiness, since you ask.  That does not look like a Bess barrel.  The lock mortice inletting looks to have been messed around with more recently and I don't know WT F is going on with that lock but I'd guess at the very least it's a reconversion or something made up of parts of other locks, some much later than Annely's working period.  I really don't know what to tell you other than that the entire thing to me looks cobbled together, later than War-era and just plain weird.  I definitely would not view it as a 'COS' piece.

[Mike Brooks]

DITTO. But, it's a nifty gun.

[Flintandsmoke]

A lot of funkiness, since you ask.  That does not look like a Bess barrel.  The lock mortice inletting looks to have been messed around with more recently and I don't know WT F is going on with that lock but I'd guess at the very least it's a reconversion or something made up of parts of other locks, some much later than Annely's working period.  I really don't know what to tell you other than that the entire thing to me looks cobbled together, later than War-era and just plain weird.  I definitely would not view it as a 'COS' piece.

I’ve got a barrel measuring tool coming so I can check the barrel caliber. Its larger than my 20 and seemed to match my buddies Nepolionic bess’

[WESTbury]

So-called Committee of Safety Muskets are among the rarest arms on the face of the Earth. Finding one at any gunshow is beyond exceedingly remote.

I think you have an attractive wall hanger, enjoy it. Would look great over a stone fireplace!

[Flintandsmoke]

So-called Committee of Safety Muskets are among the rarest arms on the face of the Earth. Finding one at any gunshow is beyond exceedingly remote.

I think you have an attractive wall hanger, enjoy it. Would look great over a stone fireplace!

Very fair, I’ve been told it might be made between 1780 and 1812, so that wrecks what I was told

[JV Puleo]

I suspect it's an assembled musket made to meet the requirements of the militia acts of 1792 or 1808, possibly using an older lock and whatever other parts were available. As to the number...most militia companies had about 60 privates. Elite militia companies sometimes purchased arms as a group and issued them to the members. In those cases they were often engraved with a number.