Not a Mosin but one of the ancestors - very rare and unusual Russian Percussion Musket made by Tula, dated 1842.
The only (and it looked exactly the same apart from the patchbox lid) musket of that kind I was able to find was discussed about a year ago on the black powder forum (search for "Tula 1842 musket), some people thought it was a bubba gun but now here is a second example.
I have compared this musket to other similar time period rifles (M1828/44 smoothbore flintlock converts, M1845 percussion, Luttich rifles , M1835 prussian jaeger rifle, M1822 french and some others) and here is the side by side comparison to the Russian M1828/44 flintlock conversion made by Izhevsk and dated 1842 - same year.
There are multiple differences (comparing to M1828/44):
1- the shorter overall length
2- slightly different stock with a typical russian raised cheek, the patchbox looks time period correct as the metal hardware is very rusted and the patina on brass is as old as it is on other parts, the buttplate is the same with the russian imperial eagle but it is not serialised, there is a faint cartouche on the left (it is on the right on M1828/44)
3- no provision for the ramrod
4- a button in the bottom rear of the stock (I would presume for the sling), no sling loop goes through the triggerguard ,just a screw (same as on jaeger rifles), front sling loop is similar to jaeger ot Luttich
5- metal insert in the middle of the stock similar to jaeger or Luttich
6- all brass furnishings (typical for the russian rifles) but no dates or serial numbers (russian "BLK" letters and "156" on the trigerrguard and the left screw plate), there is a Czar Nicholas I monogram brass oval insert on the top of the stock neck similar to the one on Luttich rifles.
7- percussion (former flint?) lock is smaller, does not have a brass insert due to a different shape of the percussion insert in the barrel, the hammer is smaller and has a rib, it does not have a serial number. The font is the same as it is on other Tula muskets of the same age
8- the barrel (I was not able to remove the screw holding it to the stock) has a few faint digits on it, is septagonal all the length except the few inches from the tip where it is round with the bayonet lug on the underside.
It is a larger caliber and it is rifled (7 grooves as opposed to 8 grooves on prussian jaeger).
There is a brass front sight and a small nonmovable (or broken off?) rear sight.
I hope Joe Leiper will be able to comment as he started the thread about the russian weapons of Napoleonic - Crimean War time period about 10 years ago but as awesome as it was (and is) I do not think it made it past 1808 ..: (((
The only (and it looked exactly the same apart from the patchbox lid) musket of that kind I was able to find was discussed about a year ago on the black powder forum (search for "Tula 1842 musket), some people thought it was a bubba gun but now here is a second example.
I have compared this musket to other similar time period rifles (M1828/44 smoothbore flintlock converts, M1845 percussion, Luttich rifles , M1835 prussian jaeger rifle, M1822 french and some others) and here is the side by side comparison to the Russian M1828/44 flintlock conversion made by Izhevsk and dated 1842 - same year.
There are multiple differences (comparing to M1828/44):
1- the shorter overall length
2- slightly different stock with a typical russian raised cheek, the patchbox looks time period correct as the metal hardware is very rusted and the patina on brass is as old as it is on other parts, the buttplate is the same with the russian imperial eagle but it is not serialised, there is a faint cartouche on the left (it is on the right on M1828/44)
3- no provision for the ramrod
4- a button in the bottom rear of the stock (I would presume for the sling), no sling loop goes through the triggerguard ,just a screw (same as on jaeger rifles), front sling loop is similar to jaeger ot Luttich
5- metal insert in the middle of the stock similar to jaeger or Luttich
6- all brass furnishings (typical for the russian rifles) but no dates or serial numbers (russian "BLK" letters and "156" on the trigerrguard and the left screw plate), there is a Czar Nicholas I monogram brass oval insert on the top of the stock neck similar to the one on Luttich rifles.
7- percussion (former flint?) lock is smaller, does not have a brass insert due to a different shape of the percussion insert in the barrel, the hammer is smaller and has a rib, it does not have a serial number. The font is the same as it is on other Tula muskets of the same age
8- the barrel (I was not able to remove the screw holding it to the stock) has a few faint digits on it, is septagonal all the length except the few inches from the tip where it is round with the bayonet lug on the underside.
It is a larger caliber and it is rifled (7 grooves as opposed to 8 grooves on prussian jaeger).
There is a brass front sight and a small nonmovable (or broken off?) rear sight.
I hope Joe Leiper will be able to comment as he started the thread about the russian weapons of Napoleonic - Crimean War time period about 10 years ago but as awesome as it was (and is) I do not think it made it past 1808 ..: (((
