This is one of the exceedingly rare  Richard Wilson – Colony of New Jersey  muskets. He had a contract for about 1000 muskets total in 1755 & 1757.  They were all engraved New Jersey  on their  buttplate tangs , had Wilson locks with his RW under a asterick on their 46" London marked barrels.  This one saw many years of use and has had it's barrel shortened to 33", it's forestock cut down to half stock and been converted to the purcussion system.  This would imply that the gun was still being used as late as the 1840's +.  The gun is well worn from years of service, you can barely make out the New Jersey on the tang and the London on the barrel but they are there. The wrist escutcheon is engraved S/42.   Interestingly this is the second one of these that I've had with the barrel cut to 33" and the forestock to half stock.  One of the units that carried these rare muskets was the New Jersey Blues .  They were ambushed by the French  at Lake George , N.Y. and agreed to surrender their arms in return for safe passage home. They were taken to Ft. Willian Henry from where they were released with a guarantee of safe passage home.  However, the French never intended to keep their promise and sent their Indian allies after the unarmed New Jersey Troops. .The Indians did catch up with the unarmed troops at  Sabbath Bay Point  where they massacred them.   Most of the fighting that the  New Jersey  troops were involved in took place in upstate New York. These rare muskets also saw service in the American Revolution.  

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