Author Topic: Identification  (Read 3250 times)

John Allen

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Identification
« on: July 30, 2017, 06:26:36 PM »
Fellas,  anyone have any idea who made this one?  It is a percusion single barrel shotgun.  It has a hooked breech and appears to have been a flintlock at some point.   The barrel is clean with no dings or pits do you think it would be safe to shoot.  The stock is also clean inside except for a small crack at the front from an overtightened screw. 

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks John Allen








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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Identification
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2017, 07:06:36 PM »
Probably Belgian. Look at the bottom barrel flats at the breech for proof marks. I'd shoot it.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Feltwad

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Re: Identification
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2017, 10:14:28 PM »
Could be French has a similar design to a d/b of mine
Feltwad

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Identification
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2017, 11:49:57 PM »
Could be French has a similar design to a d/b of mine
Feltwad
Yep, I agree. Bottom of the barrel will tell the story.
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline smokinbuck

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Re: Identification
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2017, 03:26:42 AM »
I don't know about shooting it. Looks like a crack in the bolster below the nipple.
Mark ???
Mark

n stephenson

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Re: Identification
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2017, 06:29:45 AM »
John, What gives you the idea it was ever flint?  I`m not sure that I see any thing that makes me think that. The hammer looks like it matches the lock .It is a nice looking piece!!   JMHO   Nate
« Last Edit: July 31, 2017, 06:30:32 AM by n stephenson »

John Allen

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Re: Identification
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2017, 05:47:21 PM »
The thing that made me think maybe it was flint is the way the lockplate matches up to the percussion bolster.  You can not see it in the pic but the top of the lockplate where a pan would be has a goldish color to it. 

John Allen

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Re: Identification
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2017, 07:43:27 PM »
The thing that is screwing me up is that there are no marks anywhere on the barrel. I went over the whole thing with a magnify glass and can not find any.  The only thing I can think is that the barrel was cutdown at the rear.


Offline Feltwad

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Re: Identification
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2017, 09:22:18 PM »
Enclosed are images  of my French D/B which have similar locks and beech plugs to yours .
Feltwad

 

« Last Edit: July 31, 2017, 09:24:40 PM by Feltwad »

John Allen

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Re: Identification
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2017, 10:29:19 PM »
I wonder if that could be the case.  It is just kind of weird to see no proof marks or spots that have had metal removed.  that is why I thought it might have been cut down at the breech.

Offline Feltwad

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Re: Identification
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2017, 11:49:37 PM »
It is not uncommon to see no proof marks on French percussion guns  because they did not have a proof house .There were some French gun makers who sent their guns to Belgium for proof so they were stamped with the Belgium proof marks  making the guns difficult  to which country they were made.
Feltwad