Original 19th Century French Experimental Musket with Adjustable Stock by Maubeuge Arsenal – Dated 1821 Original Items

Original item: One of a Kind. This Experimental signed musket is dated 1821 and may well have started life as a Flintlock that was later converted to percussion. It is one of the strangest long guns we’ve ever seen, and we definitely have never seen one like it. On the iron frame’s left hand side is engraved in script:-

Invention
de Mon. C. de Felix pp’re
de la Manuf. Rle. D’Armes
de Guere Maubeuge (Nord)

This basically translates to: “Design of Mr. C. de Felix, Director of the Royal Armory of Arms of War at Mauberge (North). It is also dated in script on the rear left side of the barrel with 1821.

The barrel is 43″-44″ in length and about .75 bore. It is now smooth bored but might have been rifled at one point. It is almost full stocked with two ram rod pipes and a brass nose cap extending to 8″ from the muzzle. The stock is divided into “fore Stock” and “butt stock”, and overall this musket measures an impressive 60 inches.

The butt stock is hinged with an adjustable cross bolt allowing the butt to be lowered or straightened within limits, which allows the angle to be adjusted. All the furniture is substantial brass. The percussion mechanism is an open plan mechanism with main spring, trigger and combo tumbler/hammer in plain sight. There is an iron trigger guard hinged to the butt and secured to the fore end by a knurled wheel nut that can be turned by hand allowing the angle on the Butt assembly to be altered. The butt stock has a built in cheek piece presumably for additional accuracy.

Clearly the brain child perhaps of Mon. C. de Felix the Director of the Armory intended for submission to the Military Authorities. I rather think that even in Flintlock and possibly rifled made in 1821 this firearm development fell on deaf ears. Most interesting, but this guy was no Samuel Colt.

In a great condition, possibly unique but made at a well known French Government establishment and ready to display!

Year of Manufacture: 1821 – converted later.
Caliber: .75″
Cartridge Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 43 Inches
Overall Length: 60 Inches
Action type: Back Action Experimental Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded

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