Welcome to today’s photo of the day! Here we have a Prussian Potsdam Model 1809 percussion conversion rifle-musket with an 1832 buttplate tang and barrel.
The bass gun started life as a flintlock. The 1832 date tells you when the Prussians decided to modernize it, pulling the flintlock hardware and fitting percussion ignition instead. Practical steps. Percussion caps were more reliable in wet weather and the conversion preserved a useful barrel and stock rather than eliminating the entire gun.
.69 caliber smoothbore, 41-inch barrel. Standard military gun dimensions for the era. The mixed gray patina and pitting on this example reflects nearly 200 years of existence, which is worth keeping in perspective. The repair and carving of the stock indicate that it actually saw use not only after storage, but also after conversion.
Prussia ran a lot of these conversions rather than purchasing entirely new weapons, keeping costs down by sequentially updating the ignition systems in the existing inventory. Reportedly some of these converted Potsdam guns ended up in the wars of German unification in the 1860s, which would give them about 60 years of service by that time.
Most of our POTDs use images of our friends Rock Island Auction CompanyMajor firearms auction in the United States. Take some time to browse them current auction – Who knows, maybe you’ll find a piece of history to take home!
“Prussian Potsdam Model 1809 Percussion Conversion Rifled Musket.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/5032/114/prussian-potsdam-model-1809-percussion-conversion-rifled-musket. Accessed 28 May 2026.
