Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

British Short Land New Pattern Musket
1777-1785
Board of Ordnance
England: London
a: Iron; brass; walnut; b: iron
overall: 57-1/2"long x 8"h x 4"w.
Gift of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
98.020.1a-b

a: British military flintlock musket, officially designated the "Short Land New Pattern Musket", a.k.a. "2nd Model Brown Bess". The round barrel is .78 calibre, 41 3/4" in length, with View and Proof marks stamped on top of the breech. The walnut stock is fitted with four brass ramrod pipes, the second pipe being trumpet-shaped. The stock is branded with the Br. Board of Ordnance Broad Arrow, "BO" and "NORD"; the butt stock is carved with the owner's initials "IPP". The lockplate is marked "TOWER" (to rear of cock); between the pan and the cock is a Crown over the royal "GR" cypher, and the Broad Arrow. b: iron ram rod

This pattern musket was adopted as the regulation arm of the British infantry in 1768. A number of changes were incorporated which divided production into two phases; the first phase was produced between 1769 and 1777, and the second from 1777 to 1785. The location of proof marks was moved from the top to the left side of the breech about 1785. This would indicate that the barrel was made prior to the 1785 changeover. The trumpet-shaped second ramrod pipe was introduced by John Pratt in 1777. The presence of such a pipe dates a piece as post-1777. Thus, the musket may be assigned a date of 1777-1785.