Leonard Day Wheellock

[BigSkyRambler]

Just acquired a minty wheellock built by Leonard Day.  It is roughly based on the one found in the wall of a home once owned by John Alden of Mayflower fame. Just need a key.

[Bob Gerard]

Nice. You need a key (to John Alden’s house)?

Or might you need a Spanner to turn (span) the wheel?

[BigSkyRambler]

Mr. Day's sons are sending me a key. This is one of only 3-5 that he built.

[cable]

i have one of those wheelocks myself.  it is based on precise castings of the original, which was auhorized  by the museum board.

i talked a good bit with Mr Day before i placed my order.  it is delightful to shoot!

[Bob Roller]

That is some fine work.I have never taken a close look at a "Radschloss"and am assuming it's a spring driven serrated wheel with the  flint resting against it.Looks expensive and that's no surprise.I saw one being shot in Canada in 1987 at an International Schuetzenfest and it was faster than a flintlock.I think the shooter was from Japan.
Bob Roller

[Flint62Smoothie]

NICE piece, really nice, LOVE the stock!

FYI, I too have one, but as built by Brian Anderson.

I had suggested to Garry James, of Guns&Ammo, to do an article on it and instead, on 12Jan2023 Dr. Phil Schreier, the Director of the NRA Museum called me personally. His words:

”It turns out that there is absolutely ZERO provenance that the 'original' wheellock carbine ever came over on the Mayflower, or was owned by the Alden family, or was even built by Beretta, nor having been built in circa 1560.

Dr. Beretta had toured the museum, examined the piece and did not recognize the maker's mark, but said, ‘Wouldn't it be great if it was made by our family?’ ”

Recall that the Beretta family can make the claim that they first began building arms in 1516. Phil believes that in their possession to be a later 1600s European build, still possibly Italian, however the touch mark on the barrel has been later identified as that of a Danish optician (go figure!). As he learns more he keeps me informed.

I have also been in touch with those administering the Alden museum and they have told me that at one time the building that is now part of the homestead museum had been rented out to an antique arms collector and they believe that to be the source if the piece.

[Flint62Smoothie]

I have one of those wheelocks myself. it is based on precise castings of the original, which was authorized by the museum board.

Well unfortunately that claim is not reality, as Dr. Phil Schreier himself, the NRA Museum Director, told me just today that he’s been there 35-years and at no time has any such lock ever had castings made from the original, plus he has he also has never heard of Leonard Day.

FWIW, I’ve had a few mutual communications with both Phil and Garry James about antique arms, as well as talked with and visited with Leonard a few times, about other historical (or faked) arms like the Minuteman matchlock and the alleged Hannah Dustin musket that Cowans sold, where the original was still owned by the family.

For all practical purposes the late Mr. Day made his own casts, as I have other locks from him (matchlocks & doglocks) that were fabricated from casts. But most likely the wheelie was cast from another Italian lock mimicking the size/shape of the original. Whereas I collect original wheellocks, I have in front of me 2 such examples that also appear to be ‘close’ too.