Screw Barrels on CLA

[Bentflint]

Posted 10/30 on the CLA site was a picture of 2 screw barrle pistols from Fort Ligonier. One with barrel and one without.

I would love to take a shot at reproducing pistols like these.

Anybody have any information or pictures you would be willing to share?

Thanks for your time.

Bruce

[James Rogers]

Posted 10/30 on the CLA site was a picture of 2 screw barrle pistols from Fort Ligonier. One with barrel and one without.

I would love to take a shot at reproducing pistols like these.

Anybody have any information or pictures you would be willing to share?

Thanks for your time.

Bruce

Ah....found it on the Contemporary makers blogspot.
They were called turn offs as opposed to screw barrels as that term frequently referred to rifling.
I suggest getting hold of The Queen Anne Pistol by Burgoyne.
 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trackofthewolf.com%2F%3Fp%3DBOOK-QAP&ei=0difULqTF8ry2gXHq4CACg&usg=AFQjCNFZTN1CVx65IB7qq1fQN1dE7gec5g

I have some good photos Bruce, shoot me an email and I will be gladback to share them with you whenever I can get back to the PC to retrieve them.

[smart dog]

Hi,
As a first step I recommend purchasing John Burgoyne's book "The Queen Anne Pistol" or Norman Dixon's "Georgian Pistols".  They will provide some historical and technical detail about the pistols and give you an idea of what you are getting into.  The Rifle Shoppe and Blackley's have good castings for mid 18th century turn-off pistols, however, they are not simple guns to make.  I have a set of the TRS parts, which are very nicely done.  Unfortunately, it has a rifled barrel (most were smoothbore in the 18th century) and the decorative shaping needs to be modified.  Also the powder chamber must be bored and the vent hole and channel into the chamber drilled.  Again it is not a simple build.

dave 

[JCKelly]

Burgoyne has much prettier pictures. Here's one I have:







More detail if you want it. Gunmakers of London 1350-1850, Howard Blackmore, says:
Henry Blyth apprenticed to Robert Buckmaster 1727; free of Gunmakers Col, 1741. Proof piece and mark (HB with a Star over it), 1756; Elected Assistant 1761; Master, 1766, 1768; Gunmaker to East India Co. 1773—76; “In a very distressed condition,” given two guineas by Gunmakers Co., 1787

[Acer Saccharum]

My first reaction to that pistol is: 'hey there is no frizzen spring'. Then I found it. Will ya look at the frizzen spring on that pistol?

[Tim Crosby]

My first reaction to that pistol is: 'hey there is no frizzen spring'. Then I found it. Will ya look at the frizzen spring on that pistol?

  I also wonder what kind of main spring it has?
 
   Tim C.

[rich pierce]

Maybe the one spring works as both a main and frizzen spring.

[smart dog]

Hi Rich,
It probably has a typical mainspring that is slightly shortened to fit the stock.  The "L" shaped feather spring is common on turn-off pistols, particularly those with solid forged actions.  Burgoyne mentions that the truncated form of turn-off pistol, like that above, was the earliest form dating back to the mid17th century.  The style persisted into the 18th century but were mostly less expensive brass mounted guns.  The high-end turn-off pistols had forged actions and silver mounts like the second pistol shown on the blog site.  In those guns, the mainspring is mounted behind the tumbler and positioned much like later back-action percussion locks.

dave

[Bentflint]

Thanks everybody. The emailed pictures are a great help. Sorry it took me so long to get back on this. The pictures JC posted are what I have in mind. I think starting with a Chambers Queen Anne lock, modified of course and I keep them on hand. We keep 12L14 at the day job for barrel and breach, I'm sure the boss will work with me on that. Next is to fire up the CAD and make some pitrues to see how it will all fits.

Bruce

[Habu]

Photos are great; they help, a lot.  But Newton's Antique Flintlock and Percussion Pistol Patterns has drawings of the mechanism from a couple of turn-off pistols.