Spanish ties to Soddy Daisy Rifles?

[David Rase]

Last month I sat in on a lecture discussing the Spanish presence in the U.S.  During this presentation I noted photos of Spanish Miquelet’s and a  couple of these rifles had features that resembled attributes I have seen in the Soddy Daisy school.  This prompted me to research the subject a bit more to see if there were ties to the Spanish specifically in the south.  One reference I came upon stated that the Spanish established an outpost in Memphis, Tennessee 100 years before the English settled Jamestown.   

The 2 prominent Soddy Daisy features I noted on these Spanish Escopeta guns are the swelled underside of the lock panels and the severely hooked trigger.  I might be all wet, but I see a definite influence.

As I continue my research, I am curious as to your thoughts, ideas and any research you might have done concerning the Spanish and their quest of the south.
Thanks in advance for your input.
R/David

[T*O*F]

Fernando Desoto's expedition was the first to explore the area.  Memphis is one of the "proposed" sites where he built flatboats to cross the Mississippi river.

""On 8 May, 1541, de Soto's troops reached the Mississippi River.[5]

De Soto had little interest in the river, which in his view was an obstacle to his mission. There has been considerable research into the exact location where de Soto crossed the Mississippi River. A commission appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 determined that Sunflower Landing, Mississippi, was the "most likely" crossing place. De Soto and his men spent a month building flatboats, and crossed the river at night to avoid the Native Americans who were patrolling the river. De Soto had hostile relations with the native people in this area.[45][46]

In the late 20th century, research suggests other locations may have been the site of de Soto's crossing, including three locations in Mississippi: Commerce, Friars Point, and Walls, as well as Memphis, Tennessee.[47] ""
Wikipedia

However, it is known that the Lasalle expedition was the first to build a permanent outpost in Memphis.  This is chronicled in Parkman's work on LaSalle.  They set ashore on the 3rd Chickasaw Bluff (Memphis) to hunt for food.  One of the party was lost and after searching for him, it was decided the expedition would continue.  A small contingent of men were left behind to erect an outpost and continue the search.  They were to be picked up on the return voyage.  This was around the mid 1680's.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

East Tennessee in the mid to late 1800s compared to a few Spanish soldiers in the 1500-1700s. English and Scottish vs Spanish. I think it is beyond a stretch of the imagination into the realm of impossibility. I don’t think there was any continuity between the two cultures. I think if there are similarities, it is coincidental. Looking forward to the responses. Thanks for the thought provoking post David!

[Levy]

David, I've worked on several miquelet (patilla type) firearms from the 1715 and 1733 Plate Fleet wrecks here off the coast of FT. Pierce and the middle Keys.  The reason for the bulge on the bottom of the stocks for the miquelet guns is pretty obvious due to the shape of the lock plate and main spring.  The attachment for the mainspring (bottom arm) drops down below the bottom line of the lock plate necessitating the bulge in the stock to accommodate it.  I don't know why the bulge on the Soddy rifles is there unless to try and strengthen a weak point on the gun.  Many Soddy guns have long and heavy barrels, as I understand it.  We all know that they tend to break in the wrist area and also between the bottom of the lock plate and the  trigger area.  Maybe the additional wood left under the lock was to mitigate that risk of breakage somewhat. Other than those thoughts, I don't know.  James Levy 

[alacran]

There is so much variety of style from builder to builder even within regions of Spain, that say this is not a common feature.
In fact, your upper Escopeta with the Madrid stock does not show a swell. A lot has to do with the construction of the lock. Interesting to me is how the sideplate on the lower gun does not reflect the shape of the lock and its lock panel is totally different the lock side.
Thanks for posting the photos. Really like the belt hook.

[AZshot]

I concur with Sequatchie Rifle.  A lot happened in the 300 years between an isolated Spanish exploratory expedition and Scotch-Irish settling the Appalachians. That's like any of my tools having features from some random group that came by here one week in 1722, and left.  The Appalachian settlers came down from PA and VA and brought the rifle traits from their fathers and brothers.  Not from some stranger that passed by one day 10 generations before. 
But even if the Spanish had left some archaic rifles and crossbows behind, a new settler would look at their designs like we would look at a horse and buggy, when starting up an electric car manufacturing company.  In weapons, new ideas were adopted pretty quickly.  The Wheellock was replace by the snaphaunce, and that was only used about 25 years before the Flintlock.  That for a relatively long time, then the Caplock quickly replaced it other than some mountain people that kept making them for a generation.  I don't see anything in old Spanish Arms that carried through other than they had wood and steel and a trigger. And we still do. Well, maybe not the wood.