US M1816 Type III Flintlock Musket

Description

Contract musket by D. Nippes of Mill Creek, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) who made
approximately 1600 of these Type III configuration muskets between 1837 and 1840. 42″
round smoothbore barrel in .69 caliber secured to the stock by three barrel bands,
stamped “U.S./JH/P” on breech and “1838″ on barrel tang. Brass front sight and bayonet
lug attached to the forward barrel band. Lockplate with removable brass pan stamped
“U.S./D. NIPPES/PHILA” forward of the hammer and the date “1838″ vertically behind the
hammer (the “1″ no longer visible). Iron mounts including serpentine side plate, trigger
guard, two sling swivels, and butt plate with “U.S.” stamped on tang. The walnut full stock
has inspector’s cartouche behind the side plate and another on the comb forward of the
butt plate tang. Original steel ramrod with button head. Metal parts originally finished
bright and now show a brown patina over light pitting. Wood stock sound with no cracks,
showing dings and scratches typical of age and field use. Overall length 57 ½”. Recently
surfaced at an estate in Florida near where the bulk of the fighting occurred during the
Second Seminole War and untouched since its period of use. Complete and
mechanically excellent. Since the vast majority of these were converted to percussion,
original flintlock examples are quite scarce.