Gun #19

[Stophel]

If I recall correctly, someone once stated that the front finial of the triggerguard on this gun was missing, and what you see on it now is a modern repair.  Is this so?

It would make some sense.  The front doesn't go with the rear very well at all.  The rear has a very nicely done acanthus leaf (though mashed up by the sling swivel), and the front an ugly acorn???  Now, I can't see where any wood has been filled in, so I would expect the original finial would be similar in size and shape, and can imagine the front end was more of an "arrowhead" type of stylized acanthus leaf. 

What say ye, yea or nay?

[DaveM]

The acorn does not appear consistent with the trigger guard style (whether German or French).  It may have originally had a narrower finial / mortise that was expanded for a new acorn finial, but I would never understand why someone would alter an original mortise so maybe it was an arrowhead.  I agree with you and it seems unlikely that it would be that radically different from the rear finial.  I suppose someone could have put a British twist on making this trigger guard if made in America and not a reused european guard but seems unlikely.  The other furniture seems more French and I don't believe the French used acorns that I have seen?? 

The French influence is interesting being a supposed early Reading gun -  I've wondered whether the originator of the roman nose in the Colonies was French or French influenced though this really does not have much of a roman nose.

[rich pierce]

I see it as a "parts gun".  A stocker who knew Germanic architecture used a French buttplate.  I have never seen a guard with a rail off the wrist on a French gun, so I see that as a separate piece from the buttplate, not a suite of parts.  It's Germanic rifle- built all the way, despite the octagon to rounmd smoothbore barrel.

I have heard the front guard finial is a restoration.  Now I have to figure out how to design mine as I have formed a guard for my #19 project from a Marshall guard and need to make decisions soon.  It won't be an acorn as I see this gun as 1760s, plus of minus a few.  It's a grand gun.  Mine is already feeling wonderfully handy although I'm just beginning to shape the stock.

[Michael]

I made a copy of number 19 five years ago. I copied it as closely as I could from the book. It is my favorite deer rifle and will cloverleaf three shots at 50 yards from a rest position. The nice feature is the short barrel which makes it handy up on the mountain I usually hunt on. I did fit it with a sling and it sure makes it great when dragging out a nice young tender doe!!!! I had no idea that the front of the triggerguard was a replacement when I made the gun. I entered it for judging at Dixons and won a ribbon with it and no one mentioned the replaced front extension on the TG.

Michael

[DaveM]

Did anybody else notice the engraved old man's face with a beard on this guard finial below the acorn?  Look at the photo from the side - the face is above the panther (or whatever animal it is).  I am assuming this man's face is on the old part of the guard finial and that only the acorn is new.

Maybe this is the old master's hidden self portrait when he stocked this gun??

[Tom Currie]

Good eye on picking out the face Dave !