Lane & Read New England Militia Musket

Many commercial armsmakers received contracts to supply muskets to local militia units. While having no standard design, many of these long arms were generally patterned after British military muskets but were of lighter design.

Circa 1835 Lane & Read (U.S.) Flint-lock Militia Musket (single-shot/ muzzle-loading/ black powder/ ball ammunition) This specimen, which resembles a British Brown Bess," originated in Boston and was manufactured by the firm of Lane & Read. The importance of militia firearms as protection for individual rights and personal protection in a free state is recognized by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states, "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

Thus individuals who are not members of the regular armed forces are subject to military service in an emergency. They also have the right to keep and bear arms. The Framers of the U.S. Constitution, all of whom had been subjects of the British Crown prior to the Revolution, had good cause not to trust powerful government. For this reason, they created a system of checks and balances to protect individual rights." --Dr. William L. Roberts, THE AMERICAN LIBERTY COLLECTION; #41