Author Topic: French musket barrel ?????  (Read 3954 times)

Offline alex e.

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French musket barrel ?????
« on: November 23, 2008, 03:57:51 AM »
On an early french military musket,1717,1728,1734, etc. Is the oct./round section treated in any particular way? Its hard to find any pictures showing this.

Thanks,Alex :)
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Kentucky Jeff

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2008, 06:22:24 PM »
Here's a French Fusil I made last year:



The earlier guns had a 16 flat transition to the wedding band and sometimes two wedding bands.

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2008, 11:29:01 PM »
Jeff, please. please, please go into details on what a correct French fusil barrel should entail. I mean are the simple tapered, waisted, or something else. I am really starting to become interested in the funny looking French guns.
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Offline alex e.

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2008, 12:19:09 AM »
I was really looking for firsthand knowledge from originals or someone willing to share photos of original. I have lost track of a collector of French guns I know& am wanting of his infinite wisdom  on the topic.

Alex :) ;)
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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2008, 12:22:26 AM »
Nice work Kentucky Jeff.  Forend wood super thin and metal and wood well finished.
D. Taylor Sapergia
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Art is not an object.  It is the excitement inspired by the object.

Kentucky Jeff

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2008, 09:11:22 AM »
Jeff, please. please, please go into details on what a correct French fusil barrel should entail. I mean are the simple tapered, waisted, or something else. I am really starting to become interested in the funny looking French guns.

Clark,
  The source that backs up my earlier post is the book:The Fusil de Tulle in New France, 1691 - 1741, by Russel Bouchard  and also "Colonial Frontier Guns" by TM Hamilton.    Although it seems that Hamilton's primary source for his Tulle information is Bouchard.  At least that's who he quotes most frequently when the subject of French guns comes up...

  Also, surviving specimens of actual Tulle guns are rare.  Probably less than 50 exist in any form though you will see the furniture and locks reused in other guns.  They were frontier guns and saw hard use by the Indians and early French fur traders.  Few survived the decades of use on the frontier intact.

You will also have to forgive me--this was a Fusil de Chasse not a military musket.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2008, 09:14:31 AM by Kentucky Jeff »

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2008, 03:57:11 PM »
Thanks for the recomendation. I have been intending to buy the Bouchard book in my next book order.
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Offline alex e.

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2008, 09:07:27 PM »
Thanks guys, I was able to obtain pics of an original  M1728 with the details I was looking for.
Alex..
Uva uvam videndo varia fit

tg

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Re: French musket barrel ?????
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2008, 05:42:56 AM »
One of the main shortcommings of what is offered today is a very narrow breech section , many originals weremuch thicker depending on the model. look thru the works of Hamilton, and Beuchard and there are some online site on older French guns, with a little luck Okwaho may chime in here if he does take notes.