[maxwhitecat]

Hi - my friend has 3 very old iron musket barrels in his shed. He said he took them to Louisbourg (we live about 40 miles away from the Fortress) about 25 years ago & was told that 1 was French late 1700s the other 2 are British 1800s, & probably used in the sieges there. They are very rusty but I can make out a couple of markings on them... If anyone can provide any more info on them we would be very grateful.

The 'French' one is 30" long in total with a fatter top end (sorry dont know the terminology even!) 4 1/4" circumference. It has 7/8" diameter opening. Markings: just 6 lines/strikes on the barrel end & some numbers 12 x8?

Both 'English' barrels are 33 1/2" long,7/8" barrel end diameter, 3 3/4" circumference top end of the barrel. One appears to have a sheild shape at the top end, some numbers half way down.
The second has a star? shape at the top end, 12 x? top end & at the bottom end is a crown & something else!

What do the numbers mean?
Are they French & English 17/1800s?
In this poor condition do they have any value or should they just go to a museum - any thoughts?

Many thanks
Lisa

[Hawg]

You might find a relic collector willing to give a few dollars for them. Without provenance I doubt a museum would want them.

[moonpie]

a big name museum might turn up there noses but a local welcome center or library might show more appreciation.

[KABAR2]

I will wager that the two English barrels are from a double barrel shotgun,
that from age and rust parted company... the "French" barrel has lugs for
pinning the barrel into a stock French military arms used bands to fasten
the barrel to the stock it could be a fowler barrel or it could be a British
musket barrel.... it was at some point converted to percussion so it could
not have been used during the French & Indian War Louisburg was destroyed
during this war... there were no sieges in the 1800's as it was part of the
English colonies at that point. Louisburg was completely destroyed and
only in the last century through arceology has been rebuilt as a living history museum.