thanks smartdog. for the reply .
when it was brought to me I considered that, as well as the later artillery and Calvary carbines .
however I again I ran into the issue Iron vs brass mountings .
the only reference I could find was a brief reference in one of Popes writings of some of the 1877 and 1816 conversions having iron.
the barrel has been missing for years from what I was told . they did bring me , as you can see the breech which is still threaded into about 1 1/2 inchs of barrel , which still has the markings on it . the tang does carry what remains of small case lettering. Under my engraving scope what remains looks to possibly be a small case B or L followed by either a c or a small case script S . which if memory serves donates the rifling of the barrel but I cant find my old research books on the subject .
the lock is a conversion which looks to have had the slanted pan vs the more flat pan judging by the fill plate where the old pan would have set .
all the hardware carries the same 4 slash marks . Lock, stock , Tang , TG and where there are numbers they match up . Suggesting to me all the parts are of the original build and or conversion
as to the swivel . I'm sorry I didn't realize I had left the Trigger key out of the photo . there is a very well fitted key that goes through the front of the trigger bow , through the trigger plate , which is then held to the stock with a pin . I noticed that in the photos the rear swivel looks to be cast .
that's not the case its also forged and also carried the 4 slash marks .. The trigger plate also carries the formed peaks / grip with the bow itself hooking into the trigger plate and being retained in place by the key .
so agreed at one time the rear swivel may have been up front . then moved to the toe of the stock . resulting in the replacement key that holds the trigger bow in place .
On the side of the stock you can see the TULLE stamping . but just forward of that is a hole which is also surrounded by stamping. only a small amount is visible
what is visible is clearly 18 and the rest not visible enough to read other then to see that there was at one time more letters . . the markings around the whole remind me of what one would see if looking at the rim of a shell casing . I'm somewhat confused as to what that is all about .
Possibly an armors tag ?
I have also noted that in at least 7 places . Stock , lock , barrel bands and the section of the barrel , is a marking that as best as I can describe looks like a backwards ? setting on top of with a large case G . maybe more like a script E on top of a script G .
I have so far found this mark or what I believe to be remnants of the mark on the stock between the TULLE stamping and what Im just going to call the hole stamping .
Also on the side plate mortise inside an oval which one would normally associate with having Liege stamps . which would fit the slash markings that im also seeing. Each of the barrel bands also carry the same oval with this inside as does the breech end of the barrel and the inside of the lock .
the barrel bands also have springe pins not retaining screws .
I guess I maybe as close as I going to get when it comes to a model . I find this one to be rather intriguing
