This is a scarce example of a British 1756 Long Land Pattern musket manufactured during the French & Indian War and Seven Years' War. The Seven Years' War is considered by many historians to be the first world war and the cost of both conflicts and resultant British policies after the war are credited with pushing the American colonies to fight for their independence. These muskets would have been used by both the British military and some colonial militiamen against the French and their Native American allies and remained the primary weapons of the British troops at the beginning of the American War of Independence and were also used by many American patriots during the Revolution. During or prior to the Revolution, many were altered to the more manageable and officially standard Short Land Pattern barrel length of 42 inches. This example remains in the original barrel length and features: 61 3/4 inch overall length, bayonet stud/front sight, British proofs, 4 inch front ramrod pipe, 6 1/8 inch bevelled side plate, Georgian royal cipher at the center of the straight lock and "GRICE/1760" at the tail, "WG" and a "crown/2" proof on the backside of the lock, brass thumb shield, fluted comb, "DG" on the left side of the butt, and correct buttplate with 5 3/4 tang.