Impulse lock purchase.. wondering what do do with it.

[greywuuf]

Hello all, I saw this on a table at a gun show and was not sure what it was. Bought it because I had cash and I liked it.
...

I have since been told it is an "india" pattern brown Bess lock supplied to the East India Company.
I am trying to decide if if it "close enough" to a Barnett trade gun lock as to be appropriate to use to build a "northwest " trade gun from.. ...thoughts?

[rich pierce]

Depending on what you paid for it you might consider selling it for a profit and buying new parts for a trade gun. Such a lock as you have could be valuable to someone looking to restore an original gun.

It's vale will be reduced by current use, and you run the risk of it breaking somehow. OTOH you may really enjoy having an original lock as the basis for a build and enjoy the gun that much more.

[Elnathan]

What are the dimensions, and how do they compare with a NW Gun's? If it is much larger, than you will run into architectural problems.

It is a nice find. Not sure that a NW gun is the best use for it, though.

[greywuuf]

I have no idea what a fair or current price is, I gather that there was quite a number of these taken from old stores and sold as complete weapons at on time recently.....so not that rare I wouldn't imagine ....also it is not in great shape.....several non stock (zinc plated Philips head ) screws. Etc etc.....I do like the idea of having and old "original lock" ... But really have no desire to own a "bess" ...thus my conundrum (also Alaska is not exactly a hotbed of collector or even muzzle loader activity) ...FWIW I gave $60 for the lock and pictured tool......for me it is worth that just to own an old part.

[Treebeard]

IMA is advertising those locks at $395.00 according to their website. Their supply came out of Brit muskets that had been sent to Nepal. Yours have great markings that on the ones from Nepal have been removed.

[Hudnut]

A musket lock is about 7" long; a trade gun lock, about 6".
The lock could certainly be used to make a Brown Bess India Pattern (39" barrel) musket.  Wouldn't be a good choice for a NW gun.

[SingleMalt]

I think you did very well with that. 

[JCKelly]

Looks like the steel striking face of the frizzen is a separate piece of steel brazed on to the forged wrought iron frizzen.

Common way to do things then. But on decent quality military locks, and on one pair of Wogdon great coat pistols, the steels were forge welded to the wrought iron frizzens.

Or so it appears to me, examining a few guns in my rather modest collection.
          
Above lock is on rifle #3, pp 83-84 in John Dillin, showing steel face brazed on to frizzen.

[greywuuf]

I noticed that but did not know if it was a "repair" or if the frizzen even matches the lock ....I does NOT fit well at all.

[greywuuf]

[JCKelly]

Does look like a repair by someone who didn't really care much if it worked