1756 Pattern Long Land Tower Flintlock Musket with 1760 dated lock plate. Commonly known as the 'First Model Brown Bess', the Pattern 1756 Long Land Pattern Tower Musket was adopted as the standard British infantry musket during the French and Indian War and continued in service with both the British Regular and Loyalist regiments and the American Army during the American Revolution. This musket has a .75 caliber, 46-inch, smoothbore barrel with four brass ramrod pipes and iron, button-head ramrod. The bayonet lug on the top of the barrel serves as the front sight. The slightly curved lock plate has a integral iron flash pan with bridle, single sear screw-head behind the cock, and tre-foil hammer spring tip. The lock plate is vertically engraved with the date "1760" and the lock maker's name "GRICE" (Joseph Grice, Birmingham, 1756-1764) behind the cock and ahead of it with the "Crown/GR" mark of King George II. The British Army "Crown/Broad Arrow" property mark is stamped below the pan. The inside of the lock is stamped with the initials "WG" (William Grice) and a "Crown/2" Ordnance inspection mark. The lock mainspring, bridle and sear bear a "IV" slash mark or four-notch assembly mark. The cock has the delicately formed tang found on all Long Land muskets with oval top jaw and slotted, solid jaw screw. The edges of the lock plate, cock, top jaw and hammer are all decorated with an engraved, double line, border. The English walnut stock has a slight flare above the brass rear entry pipe and relief carved panel surrounding the upper tang. The stock has a brass nose cap and trumpet-mouth upper ramrod guide. The brass trigger guard has the simplified finial found on 1740-1756 Pattern Long Land muskets. The stock has the distinctive, convex faced, brass side plate and brass buttplate with elongated tang that distinguish the Long Land muskets from the Pattern 1769 Short Land, Marine and Militia muskets. A brass wrist plate is inlaid on the stock behind the raised upper tang surround. The top of the barrel is stamped with the "Crown/GR/Broad Arrow" King's proof mark and "Crown/Crossed Scepter" view mark on the center line. What appear to be the initials "FG" followed by an asterisk and "O" are stamped on the left side of the barrel. Traces of the "Crown/Scepter" inspection mark are visible on the upper tang. A Broad Arrow and "IV" assembly mark are stamped on the inside of the side plate. A faint Ordnance inspection mark is visible on the bottom of the stock behind the trigger guard finial. The impression of the "GR" storekeepers' mark is visible on the center of the right side of the stock about two-inches ahead of the buttplate. The initials "DC" are boldly cut in the left side of the stock below the comb. The carved initials indicate this musket saw American use - Brown Bess muskets used by American soldiers in the French and Indian or Revolutionary War are frequently carved with prominent initials. Muskets associated with the British army were not defaced by the initials of individual soldiers. The Long Land Brown Bess musket was the first regulation firearm used in North America and one of the highest quality military long arms ever issued by any army. The Long Land Brown Bess is the iconic weapon of the Revolutionary War. A Brown Bess musket in British or American hands mostly likely fired "The shot heard 'round on the world" on the Lexington Common on April 18, 1775 - no weapon is more closely associated with the history of Colonial America than the Long Land Brown Bess musket.

Fair. This musket is complete and retains all of the correct Pattern 1756 components. The barrel has a smooth silver-gray patina with mottled age discoloration and light-moderate flash pitting near the flash hole. All of the correct Ordnance proof and view marks are present on the breech and tang. The lock plate, cock and hammer have a dark patina with scattered light pitting the maker's name and date, Royal cipher and Broad Arrow property mark are light but fully visible. There is a modern repair on the inside of the cock, but the cock is original to the lock. The professionally lengthened stock is in good overall condition with sharp edges. The "DC" initials on the left side of the comb are crisp. The forearm has an old and expertly executed two-inch splice towards the front of the tail pipe. This repair is very well-executed and only noticeable with close inspection. The brass end cap, ramrod pipes, convex side plate, trigger guard, wrist plate and buttplate are all original and in good condition. The Long Land Pattern Brown Bess muskets saw hard service with the British and American armies in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. Following the Revolution, the surviving Long Land muskets were used almost to extinction, and the useable components were incorporated into other weapons. As a result, 1756 Pattern Long Land muskets are extremely scarce in any condition. This is a superior example of the iconic Long Land Brown Bess that would be a key piece in any collection of American firearms.