Old American (? )Fowler

[happydog]

I acquired this gun in a trade.  On another forum I have learned a lot about it.  But, i would like to get any information anyone here would post. Pics are on:

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/rsjacobs/

[mr. no gold]

You have found yourself a really North East fowler. It appears to be a 1700s gun and is in very nice condition. It was probably made in MA, but that isn't necessarily the case since all of the New England colonies (states) made similar pieces.
The lock appears to be a flat face English piece with late colonial engraving. I note that a hole in the plate, behind the pan, appears to have been filled in recently. Makes me wonder if the lock is original to the gun? It certainly looks good. Wonder too whether it has been reconverted, though I doubt that it has.
Stock wood looks like cherry and is quite sound for its age. It is interesting, too that the gun is set up for a sling having the triggerguard drilled for a swivel. There are many similarities with the Abner Howe NE gun (in the Library). The guards are, engraving is similar and the architecture is close but not the same. Could be the same maker for both or somehow related in time and/or area.
Your fowler looks like it may have a 48-50 inch barrel; is there a bayonet stud near the muzzle, a sight blade?
Wonder, too, if there are any initials on the gun? The view of the top of the barrel is too indistinct to tell if there is anything on it. 
Thank you for showing it around. It looks great over your fireplace, but you gotta lose those African spears.
Thanks-Dick

[rich pierce]

What a great find.  Thanks for showing the lock internals- no bridle.  What's the bore size, approximately?

[whitebear]

Looks a little rusty and probably got some ware on it but if you will ship insured I will give you $.35 for it .

Seriously a very nice find why can't I ever be in the right place at the right time?

[happydog]

The only marking I can find is the W. Ketland on the inside of the lock  The barrel  is approx, .615 which would make it a 20 ga. The barrel is 52.5 inches long.  I have measured it many times and it is allways the same.  I have removed the spears from above the fireplace and replaced them with old percussion cap.  It does have blade front sight (silver ?), but no bayonet stud

The lock is shown on p.23, bottom right of Tom Grinslade's "Flintlock Fowlers.

[Ben I. Voss]

I want to know- will it fit inside the jeep with the windows closed?! Thanks for sharing.

[JV Puleo]

Its a reconversion... aside from the artificially induced corrosion on the replaced parts, there is a fundamental mistake made by practically everyone who reconverts them.

The lock probably dates between 1802 and 1808 so if its original to the gun, the gun is later than a 1st impression suggests.

[JTR]

I agree, nice fowler, and I see it pretty much as Dick described.

However I agree with JV Puleo on the lock being a reconversion. Besides the recent rusting of the pan, frizzen and spring, the lock has a bridles tumbler so should have a bridles pan as well. Also, it doesn’t seem to have the correct hammer either.

Dicks comment on the recently filled screw hole also brings up the question of the locks originality to the gun, however lot’s of guns have replaced locks so it’s not the end of the world if the lock is a replacement.

JV, as to the locks 1802 to 1808 manufacture, I thought the ones stamped Ketland on the inside like this one had passed out of production by around 1790?

All in all a nice gun and thanks for showing it, but I’m curious, what did the guys on the other site say about it?

John 

[happydog]

John, I pulled the lock this morning.  What looks like a newly filled hole is actually a screw (pin?) that holds the  pan in place. The other side is flush with the pan mount.   Grinslade show this model of lock on page 23 and said it is a 1770-1790 lock. The hammer has exactly the same markings as in the picture. The inside of the lock shows W. Ketland and WK below it.
 I have known the person I got it from for a few years, it had been in his family for years and he has no relatives to leave it to.  On the other site, responses said  probably MASS., late 1700, could have been made by anyone.  The rod is just a piece of dowel I put in the tubes, the original was long gone.

[rich pierce]

I was also a little confused by the lock because the cock looked perfect but the pan seemed wrong and the frizzen spring seemed odd.  Could be a "working life" replacement or repair job.  But either way it's a great looking gun; some of the parts may be from an earlier gun or earlier period than others.