Jack Brooks Type G Trade Gun

[David Rase]

I did not want to hi-jack SquirrelHearts thread but there was an interest in seeing the rear sight as well as pictures of the entire gun.  Here are some pictures as requested.  
Dave
Here is the rear sight



Here is the rest of the gun

[M Tornichio]

nice looking gun David.
How do you like the rear sight set up?
Does it help with accuracy?

[rich pierce]

Great looking trade gun.  Often the notch on this type of rear sight is set up like a pair of wings.

[David Rase]

nice looking gun David.
How do you like the rear sight set up?
Does it help with accuracy?

Yes, it does help with accuracy.  When I first received the gun and I saw the position of the sight I thought, there is no way I will be able to see it this far back on the barrel.  Then when I looked through it I thought, how does this thing work with such a wide, 1/16"+ slot.  After a little playing around with it I discovered that the sight works like a peep sight with an open top aperture.  Once you get the front sight in the U shaped slot, it draws the front sight down to the bottom center of the U almost automatically.  You put the front sight on your intended target and squeeze the trigger.  As a matter of fact, the first shot I took with this gun was a tie breaker for a rifle match  I entered over the Memorial day weekend.  The shot was a 5 o'clock 10 touching the X ring at about 15 yards.  It is a great sight once I learned how to use it.  Those old timers were no dummies.  If it did not work they did not use or make it.
Dave

[Daryl]

The sight picture by Rich, shows a sight design like that on my 1900 Husky Double - 13 bore rifled, 16 bore smooth. The sight had thin, high wings that did not interfere with shot shooting and gave more accurate hold with ball.  This type of sight on a smoothbore seems long lived - from 18th to 20 century.

[B.Habermehl]

An interesting thought, two of the origional 18th century trade guns I got to examine and study had the rear sights all the way back and aligned with the frizzen pivot. A bit further rearward than Jack brooks did his.  It certainly would work somewhat like a open peep that close to the eye.

[Curtis]

David,

I sent you a PM.

That is one beautiful gun you have there, it must make you proud just thinking about it!  Is that barrel fire blued?  It looks like it might be.  The fact that it is also a good shooter is just too much to ask!

As for the location of the rear site, on the Type G's by Wilson they were positioned similar to David's gun.  Hamilton has some pictured in his book  "Colonial Frontier Guns"

Curtis

[David Rase]

Curtis,  The barrel is fire blued.  I have a picture Jack took while it was in the pit in his back yard.  Kind of cool.
Dave

[J1776]

Dear Lord Dave!,.. that's a great gun!
What did you use to paint the stock design?
Was this replicated from an original?...I know I've seen that painted butt stock in a photo before!!

[David Rase]

Dear Lord Dave!,.. that's a great gun!
What did you use to paint the stock design?
Was this replicated from an original?...I know I've seen that painted butt stock in a photo before!!

JShip1776,
The gun was built by Jack Brooks in 2005.  The stock was painted red and the floral pattern was drawn on with india ink.  I think the paint is oil based.  I had a conversation with Jack and he told me that oil base paints were available at the time.
Here is a link to Gary Brumfields web page that features a Bumford Ttpe G  tradegun.    http://www.flintriflesmith.com/Antiques/bumford_tradegun.htm

[Daryl]

How cool is that!!  (Not a question- HA!)

[Dphariss]

I think oil based paints were the norm. Think they originated in Roman times but would have to "refresh" my memory.

Dan

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Look at this site re milk paint (and also pure tung oil BTW).  Interesting colonial history.

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/milk-paint-history.html

I have a friend in Jonesboro who builds 18th century Windsor chairs he learned how to build in Williamsburg and uses milk paint.  Makes sense they would have used it on trade guns as wel

[J1776]

Dear Lord Dave!,.. that's a great gun!
What did you use to paint the stock design?
Was this replicated from an original?...I know I've seen that painted butt stock in a photo before!!

JShip1776,
The gun was built by Jack Brooks in 2005.  The stock was painted red and the floral pattern was drawn on with india ink.  I think the paint is oil based.  I had a conversation with Jack and he told me that oil base paints were available at the time.
Here is a link to Gary Brumfields web page that features a Bumford Ttpe G  tradegun.    http://www.flintriflesmith.com/Antiques/bumford_tradegun.htm

Thanks!
Knew I saw this before!  Great gun!
Beech wood for the stock?..or?...

[J1776]

In regards to the barrels on original Type G trade guns,..

Do all the "known" surviving originals have double bands on the barrels, or are there single bands seen on barrels as well?
AND,...
is the forward most band just filed into the round? (as I know most were only filed into the top section of the barrels, rather than turned all the way around like a colerain oct/round barrel for example.

This will help determine where I want to go with the one I'm gathering info and parts for to build for myself.

Thanks fellas!

[LRB]

  I have talked with some that believe the Bumford gun to be a re-stock.

[Michael]

JShip1776

All the Type G barrels I've seen have two rings ( pictures mostly). The rings are filed in the exposed part of the barrel only and they appear to be filed by hand as opposed to turned on a lathe. The spacing is fairly uniform, that is the distance from the breech end of the barrel and the distance between the first and second ring.

[James Rogers]

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4828.msg45424#msg45424

[J1776]

thanks James!!!