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I'm looking at building a muzzleloader from stock and I'm thinking of starting with a .375 Cal musket with a 24" - 30" barrel. I'm looking for historic examples of similar guns, if any exist, to base it on.
 
Lots of rifles in that caliber range ( .30 to .40 caliber )....not so with muskets.

If pressed for a guess on the average rifle caliber of the time period of the 1760's- 1860's I'd guess it was in the .47 -.55 caliber range...depending on time period , and intended use.
That said...there are plenty of examples of rifles in the .32 to .45 caliber range....
( Such calibers are generally found later...in the 1800 to 1860's )

The barrel length is also unusual , for a musket....not unheard of , just not as common.

Muskets were generally in the .60 to .80 caliber range and smoothbore ....with barrels in the 40 to 48 inch range....depending on time period and unit usage.
One can of course , can find cut down guns...some cut down for military use...many however were cut down after their service life was over.

There were muskets with barrels in the 30 to 38 inch range made for specialized units...but again not issued to the regular Infantry units....Units like Dragoons , Rangers , Some Light Infantry and Highland units as well as Artillery or for Naval use can be found with shorter barrels and at times a lighter caliber ( .60- .69 caliber ) .

Now some Officer's Fusils were both lighter in caliber ( .60 -.69 ) and had shorter barrels in the 36 to 42 inch range....again depending on time period and usage....

Rifled Muskets are a later development and can be found with barrels in the 30 to 42 inch range....but these are generally large caliber .54 caliber on up....

Also some trade muskets and or Trade guns were made in the late flint and percussion period with a 30 inch barrel...but these were made for the fur trade and not a military musket.
These were also in the .58-.70 caliber range...mostly found in 28 gauge to 20 gauge and all were smoothbore.

Some trade rifles had the barrels in the 30 odd inch range...these are mostly found in percussion and are late as in the 1860's to 1870's time period and in the .40 - .58 caliber range

Rifles can vary wildly depending on maker , intended market and time period.
Most rifle barrels are in the 36-48 inch range....again depending on time period and market.
Some early Jager rifles can be found with 28 to 36 inch barrels...but these are found in large calibers.
large as in .60 caliber on up....


To sum up :
As a general rule a .375 caliber gun or one in the caliber range of say .30 to.40 caliber , will be a stereotypical
"Kentucky Squirrel Rifle" , either in flint or percussion or a midwest style rifle with a half stock and in percussion used for small game, both with barrels in the 36 to 42 inch range...Not a musket.
( Sorry for the long lecture above...:D )

Below are some shots of my antique guns....notice that the barrels are in 36 inch plus range....
Andy
DSC05463.jpg

DSC05467.jpg

DSC05464.jpg

15-6-6.InterlakeMountainManRendezvous.LeaningMuseum.1963.JPG

sBedford-Huntington-Lehigh-Bedford-Fowler-Lancaster.1995.JPG
 
Ok, that's kind of what I expected still going to do it but this means I can do it in my usual NFG style.
Not sure what NFG means...but
It is 2019 and unless you need to be historically correct or want to be...there is no reason why you can't build a .375 caliber musket with a 24- 30 inch barrel....
Other than the lack of parts to make one.
Andy
 
Lots of rifles in that caliber range ( .30 to .40 caliber )....not so with muskets.

If pressed for a guess on the average rifle caliber of the time period of the 1760's- 1860's I'd guess it was in the .47 -.55 caliber range...depending on time period , and intended use.
That said...there are plenty of examples of rifles in the .32 to .45 caliber range....
( Such calibers are generally found later...in the 1800 to 1860's )

The barrel length is also unusual , for a musket....not unheard of , just not as common.

Muskets were generally in the .60 to .80 caliber range and smoothbore ....with barrels in the 40 to 48 inch range....depending on time period and unit usage.
One can of course , can find cut down guns...some cut down for military use...many however were cut down after their service life was over.

There were muskets with barrels in the 30 to 38 inch range made for specialized units...but again not issued to the regular Infantry units....Units like Dragoons , Rangers , Some Light Infantry and Highland units as well as Artillery or for Naval use can be found with shorter barrels and at times a lighter caliber ( .60- .69 caliber ) .

Now some Officer's Fusils were both lighter in caliber ( .60 -.69 ) and had shorter barrels in the 36 to 42 inch range....again depending on time period and usage....

Rifled Muskets are a later development and can be found with barrels in the 30 to 42 inch range....but these are generally large caliber .54 caliber on up....

Also some trade muskets and or Trade guns were made in the late flint and percussion period with a 30 inch barrel...but these were made for the fur trade and not a military musket.
These were also in the .58-.70 caliber range...mostly found in 28 gauge to 20 gauge and all were smoothbore.

Some trade rifles had the barrels in the 30 odd inch range...these are mostly found in percussion and are late as in the 1860's to 1870's time period and in the .40 - .58 caliber range

Rifles can vary wildly depending on maker , intended market and time period.
Most rifle barrels are in the 36-48 inch range....again depending on time period and market.
Some early Jager rifles can be found with 28 to 36 inch barrels...but these are found in large calibers.
large as in .60 caliber on up....


To sum up :
As a general rule a .375 caliber gun or one in the caliber range of say .30 to.40 caliber , will be a stereotypical "Kentucky Squirrel Rifle" , either in flint or percussion or a midwest style rifle with a half stock and in percussion used for small game, both with barrels in the 36 to 42 inch range...Not a musket.
( Sorry for the long lecture above...:D )

Below are some shots of my antique guns....notice that the barrels are in 36 inch plus range....
Andy
View attachment 630855

View attachment 630856

View attachment 630857

View attachment 630858

View attachment 630859
Andy's right proud o them there muskets n stuff! ;)
And has every right to be! THAT is quite a collection right there!

Childhood friend's Dad had an old perc (rifle I think, the bore was pretty worn) of maybe .40 cal that had been in the family since since 1830 or '40.. The "Family Heirloom", It had been made in Detroit or Grand Rapids. Despite age and some rough living on the farm(s), it had been shootable and had harvested many a Michigan whitetail over the century+ or so.. .40 cal in a bp rifle seems kinda slim by my standards but I guess the deer were smaller then.. anything less that .44 is sub-caliber by my standards.. mine are .54's and if I hunted much with them they would be .58 or larger. I was always impressed by it tho... so my friend died of a heart attack and when the old man died his guns n stuff went to my friends son, a real piece of work he is... among other stupid stuff he SOLD the guns, several very nice older rifles.. including that old musket (I know, I know) to a DRUG DEALER for.. :eek:coke! Damn that boy! Had he come to me about those guns he would have gotten twice as much and had the opportunity to get them back later IF... alas..:s0002: And he's my godson, oy...
 

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