Any Musket experts here?

[mk19]

I'm planning to buy this jezail musket and i was wondering if there was someone here who could help me make sure i am not making a mistake. Now i researched this stuff since there are heaps of fakes here in Afghanistan. This one seems original. The lock (flintlock) is Tower probably from a Brown Bess, marking are GR with crown above it and also has the open bottom corwn with arrow through it. The barrel is a beautifully made Damascus with silver and bronze inlays, and a 2 verses of a peom written on top...... I'm planing on taking some pics and posting them.

any input would appreciated.

[Randy L]

First off thanks for your service to the greatest nation on earth those of us that have not served owe you a debt that cannot be repaid you are in my prayers.

The Khyber Pass region is well known for its fakes both extremely crude and very very good. I am not familiar enough with that odd looking gun to make any comments on authenticity just proceed with caution also what is the price in US dollars even if its a fake the price might be worth it for a souvenir.

[mk19]

A fake one goes for about 100-200 US Dollers this one i was able to taled him down to $1000. Everything looks original and old the stock, barrel and even the lock. The thing with jezails is that none look the same since they were not mass produced but special custom guns for locals who could afford them. Most were rifled as is this one, with long heavy octogonal barrels that made them extremly accurate for their time. I still have no idea how they shot them with those funky stock.

[Randy L]

They were not fired from the shoulder they were tucked under the arm and rested on a bi-pod look at this link Military Analysis: Jezail

[1gewehr]

Jezail prices are all over the board. Generally, my experience has been that there are a lot more people trying to sell them than there are interested buyers. $1000 sounds like an awful lot to me. If the inlay and artistry is of a particularly high skill level, then it may well be worth that.

I've also seem some really excellent forgeries of Tower musket locks, so that doesn't lead me to believe it really is an antique.

My advice would be to get it only if you really like it and want to keep it. If you buy it as an investment, it may disappoint you.

[mk19]

I took some pics today but i could not attach them so here is the link for anyone who wants to take a look.

Flickr: jawadi's Photostream