The M1680 smooth-bored infantry musket

The first delivery of military flintlock muskets to be used in Norway was recorded in 1653. None of these are known, as of today, neither are the later models of flintlock muskets from before the M1680's. In the late 1600's and early 1700's old & defective guns were disassembled and the metal from them was sent to Denmark. From the late 1700's and onwards, these were auctioned off to the general public in Norway. As a result, there are to be found a large number of civilian muskets with a military past, but where stocks is changed, locks converted to percussion etc., but extremely few of the original military versions. These are really scarce!

Snaphaunce, matchlocks and combinations of these were in use by the military in Norway in the second half of the 1600's. The appr. M1680 is the first flintlock musket model being dated by the Norwegian Military museum. There seems to be a number of unanswered questions in regards to this musket – some seem to have been made in Denmark, some in Thüringen, some seemingly came from Amsterdam and some even built locally in Norway.

This is not the correct plug bayonet for the M1685. The bayonet should have been a double edged bayonet with an iron crossguard, round on one side and formed like an axe on the other. The grip was wooden with one iron ferrule.

There is proof that 360 barrels were delivered to Oplandske Regiment (probably from Fossum Brug) in 1691. These were to be completed with lock, stock and trimmings locally. This just might be one of these muskets. It really is a huge and sturdy musket. It is 151 cm long with a barrel of 113 cm. The rear 21 cm is octagonal, the rest of the barrel is round. There is an iron front sight and no rear sight. All mounts are in iron, three ramrod pipes and a full stock with no nose cap. There is no ramrod with the rifle. The stock is fairly crudely carved in beech and might also be a secondary stock from the period. There are carvings around the lock plate, side plate and the barrel tang. The stock also has deep grooves on either side of the ramrod that are typical for the period. The appr. M1680 were fitted with a short, double-edged plug bayonet – either to be mounted in the muzzle as on this musket, or in two rings on the side of the barrel. The plug bayonet on the picture is not the correct bayonet for this musket.

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