Arab Style Musket

Mefidk · 28th May 2021, 08:44 PM

Yes Rick - the 1859 model of the Enfield was specifically made for Sepoy troops after the Indian Mutiny. It is the only version of the barrel with the 'dog kennel' foresight.
So, a smoothbore barrel with this sight is an easy identification. The tombstone rear sight on these barrels is replaced. If it was a standard army issue it would have had a ladder sight. I don't know why this rounded sight with a hole was preferred, but this seems to be a local adaptation, and in both mine clearly brazed on later. The lock on mine is therefore incongruous, but the locks for at least 1856 to 1859 (which are the examples I have) are totally interchangable. I have an EIC musket from the 1840s and later (patterns C & F) but these are slightly different, and the pattern C lock would not fit a later Enfield, but I think that the pattern F would. This suggests to me that the locks from British 1850 guns were interchangeable - but I don't quite have enough examples to exchange them to test this (I sold my 1856 to my neighbour who was enthralled by it - maybe I can ask him for a loan to try the exchange).

I don't have an 1840s army issue rifle or smoothbore, but if it follows EIC then the lock is a different shape compared to the later versions (easiest spotted by the thicker forward part of the lockplate).

28th May 2021, 08:44 PM	#16
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Yes Rick - the 1859 model of the Enfield was specifically made for Sepoy troops after the Indian Mutiny. It is the only version of the barrel with the 'dog kennel' foresight. So, a smoothbore barrel with this sight is an easy identification. The tombstone rear sight on these barrels is replaced. If it was a standard army issue it would have had a ladder sight. I don't know why this rounded sight with a hole was preferred, but this seems to be a local adaptation, and in both mine clearly brazed on later. The lock on mine is therefore incongruous, but the locks for at least 1856 to 1859 (which are the examples I have) are totally interchangable. I have an EIC musket from the 1840s and later (patterns C & F) but these are slightly different, and the pattern C lock would not fit a later Enfield, but I think that the pattern F would. This suggests to me that the locks from British 1850 guns were interchangeable - but I don't quite have enough examples to exchange them to test this (I sold my 1856 to my neighbour who was enthralled by it - maybe I can ask him for a loan to try the exchange). I don't have an 1840s army issue rifle or smoothbore, but if it follows EIC then the lock is a different shape compared to the later versions (easiest spotted by the thicker forward part of the lockplate).