Help with brass trigger guard

DoctorWhy

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Oct 26, 2016
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Location
Island in Penobscot Bay, Maine
Hello,

Today a friend and I were exploring a cellar hole that may have been an active homestead from the mid-1700's through the late-1800's.

He found this brass rifle or musket trigger guard.

There are no visible maker marks

Anyone have an idea of its age or what kind of firearm it may have come from?

Thanks!
--Bert
 

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Possibly a trigger guard from a British Musket. The small hole in the front of the guard looks just like the one in the picture.

Pictured is a British East India Company Model F Percussion Musket Circa 1840
nb1840fuw__3.jpg
 
...and now more to the story...

After I made the original post, my friend Ed, took a trip to his mother's home, several hours away from where he found the trigger guard. At her home he remembered an old musket that had been in the family for generations. That musket was missing its trigger guard. The shape of the inlay in the stock where the trigger guard had been mounted was curiously similar to the shape of of the found trigger guard. Yesterday, Ed and I 'reunited' the two. It is nearly a perfect match and gave a convincing clue to the identity of the found trigger guard. The musket is a 75 caliber "Brown Bess". Apparently where the trigger guard broke was a common design flaw; a weakness in the component at a counter-sunk screw hole.

For anyone to find a Brown Bess trigger guard would be an amazing find, but Ed was the right guy to make the discovery.

The first three photos are of an example of a Brown Bess and its components. The last photo is of Ed's Brown Bess.
 

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After I made the original post, my friend Ed, took a trip to his mother's home, several hours away from where he found the trigger guard. At her home he remembered an old musket that had been in the family for generations. That musket was missing its trigger guard. The shape of the inlay in the stock where the trigger guard had been mounted was curiously similar to the shape of of the found trigger guard. Yesterday, Ed and I 'reunited' the two. It is nearly a perfect match and gave a convincing clue to the identity of the found trigger guard. The musket is a 75 caliber "Brown Bess". Apparently where the trigger guard broke was a common design flaw; a weakness in the component at a counter-sunk screw hole.

For anyone to find a Brown Bess trigger guard would be an amazing find, but Ed was the right guy to make the discovery.

The first three photos are of an example of a Brown Bess and its components. The last photo is of Ed's Brown Bess.


That's an awesome discovery. Finding the missing part of a family heirloom! That doesn't happen very often! I love it!
 
Wow, that's incredible! So, just so I have it right - was this a family homestead of his? Meaning, was this the EXACT trigger guard, or just so happens to fit? Either way, very cool story! Thanks!
 
Hi BB in Maine,

According to Ed, the rifle came out of the Windham, ME area, possibly from an antique store 50-100 years ago.

The trigger guard was found on Deer Isle, ME in an old cellar hole site. No relationship between the owner of the musket and the found trigger guard.

It just appears that there was a 'manufacturing weakness' around the screw hole in the trigger guard that may have frequently failed on that model of musket.

I'm on Deer Isle. Whereabouts in Maine are you?

Cheers,
--Bert
 
Hi BB in Maine,

According to Ed, the rifle came out of the Windham, ME area, possibly from an antique store 50-100 years ago.

The trigger guard was found on Deer Isle, ME in an old cellar hole site. No relationship between the owner of the musket and the found trigger guard.

It just appears that there was a 'manufacturing weakness' around the screw hole in the trigger guard that may have frequently failed on that model of musket.

I'm on Deer Isle. Whereabouts in Maine are you?

Cheers,
--Bert

I was under the impression that this was the missing trigger guard from the musket. Still very cool none the less!
 
Hi BB in Maine,

According to Ed, the rifle came out of the Windham, ME area, possibly from an antique store 50-100 years ago.

The trigger guard was found on Deer Isle, ME in an old cellar hole site. No relationship between the owner of the musket and the found trigger guard.

It just appears that there was a 'manufacturing weakness' around the screw hole in the trigger guard that may have frequently failed on that model of musket.

I'm on Deer Isle. Whereabouts in Maine are you?

Cheers,
--Bert

Hey Bert - Thanks for the rest of the story... I am down in the Brunswick area. Do you ever stop in to the Metal Detecting Maine forum? Spend a lot of time over there.... www.metaldetectingmaine.com
 
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