I. Field half stock fowler

[somehippy]

Did a Google search for half stock Fowler's and found this gem here- http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCarp/library/English%20Fowler?sort=3&page=1 .  The guy posted it on some other forum ( https://www.thefirearmsforum.com/threads/english-half-stock-fowler.126201/ ) years ago in hopes of some comments or info about it to no avail (too bad he never found this place, maybe he did?).  Anyhow I think she's purdy and you fellas might too, I've had a hankering for a trim lil half stock for bunnies and partridge and hope to build something similar in the future.  I'd be interested to know more about this gun and it's maker or ones similar.

[WKevinD]

I couldn't get the photobucket to open, but I know the gun and have shot it with roundball and shot. I have built a few guns for its owner and I think he sold it to fund one of them.
I can put you in touch if you want.
Kevin

[somehippy]

Wow that didn't take long, great stuff I'll take you up on that offer see if it's owner might have more pics or info.  I tried the Photobucket link and it worked for me :/

[Mattox Forge]

This is a 16 bore gun by SMITH of London made in 1806 that I picked up last year. It has a 32-7/8 stubb twist barrel and is serial number 25, which makes it a very early SMITH gun.







The cock appears to be a period replacement. It sparks extremely well.



Beautiful gold bushed touch hole





Underside of barrels marked with TWISTED STUBBS and "25".





When I received the gun, the horn tip glue had dried up and the tip was loose. I was able to examine the method used to attach the tip. You can see that the stocker cut a tennon on the wood and a mortise into the horn. The photos do not show it well, but the joint is dovetailed on the thin edges. This is very different than the later Jones (by WC Scott) percussion gun I have that had the same glue failure problem. That gun just had an angled gouge cut into the horn and a simple tapered projection of the stock fitted to it.









It is set up for a lefty, and mounts perfectly when using the left hand. There are a couple of mistakes in the stocking, one of them, I believe, caused by the need for cast on, rather than cast off. You can see it in the photo above with the gap between the false breech and the end of the barrel.


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If you are interested in more dimensional info on it, let me know.

Mike

[somehippy]

Great stuff!  Love them trigger guards, if you could pm me some dimensions that would be terrific, thanks for posting the nice detailed pics.

[Hudnut]

I have a 16 bore single flintlock shotgun that is a bit later than the other two guns in this thread.  Made by James Wilkinson and Son, Gunmakers to his Majesty.  Obtained a copy of the page from the Wilkinson ledger; the gun was entered in September 1822.  Of the 15 or so guns on the page, two thirds were percussion.  Unfortunately, the buyer did not sign the book.  It must have been sold over the counter of their Pall Mall shop.  It has some features I've not seen before.  In front of the lock, and opposite the lock, the wood molding has been overlaid with silver.  I presume this was to protect it from flash.  The lock and touchhole relationship is unusual.  The touchhole is platinum, but the frizzen is not against the barrel.  Instead, there is a projection of the lockplate above the flashpan, a thin, flat ring.  It is snug to the barrel, and the frizzen fits against it.  You can see the silver overlays, and the ring which surrounds the touchhole.  The top jaw is an old replacement; correct shape, but no engraving.  I made the top jaw screw; the replacement that was installed was awful.  If you look at the tip of the frizzen, you can see that it is chipped.  I suspect that someone was snapping the lock without a flint, broke the top jaw screw and lost the top jaw.

[Robert Wolfe]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[Hudnut]

Here is how I made the top jaw screw...
Whittled a square tapered hardwood peg, and screwed it into the cock.  The wood picked up the threads, and I was able to determine the threads per inch.  Fortunately, the tpi matched an option on my lathe's gearbox.  Chucked up a piece of 1/2" stock, turned a section to major diameter, and then started cutting the thread.  Proceeded slowly, until the cock would screw onto the screw.  I'd studied photos of various top jaw screws of the period, to get an idea of an appropriate shape; also incorporated the little nub at the end of the thread.  Polished, cut the slot, then casehardened.

[Mattox Forge]

What was the pitch of the threads?
I have a Mortimer double percussion gun that has a similar nickel silver insert under the barrel. It runs the full width of the stock and is held in by screws. I have seen photos of percussion guns that have what appears to be a stock insert that replaces the wood around the lock like the later bar that was soldered to the barrel. How is yours held in place? Does it span the whole stock?

Mike

[somehippy]

That is quite the high end gun, all them lil details.  I like the hammer even though I have a slight distaste for the throated variety, real sharp, trigger guard shape as well.

[Mike Brooks]

That is quite the high end gun, all them lil details.  I like the hammer even though I have a slight distaste for the throated variety, real sharp, trigger guard shape as well.

Pretty typical English "non export" gun for the period. They were all very nice like this one and handle and shoot as welll as a modern gun.

[somehippy]

These silver flash/wear guards are quite common then?  How were they attached? Small pins/tacks/nails?

[Mike Brooks]

These silver flash/wear guards are quite common then?  How were they attached? Small pins/tacks/nails?

I wouldn't call that feature common, but I have seen it on several English guns of that era. Don't remember how they are attached.

[Mattox Forge]

These silver flash/wear guards are quite common then?  How were they attached? Small pins/tacks/nails?

The one on my Mortimer is held in by two small wood screws that were installed from the upper surface and filed down. The whole thing is fitted to seat the breeches. It almost seems like they were reinforcing the bedding at the breech end, kind of lIke modern glass bedding.

Mike