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1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
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Topic: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished (Read 2217 times)
t.caster
Hero Member
Posts: 3720
1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
on:
November 05, 2018, 11:42:18 PM »
This is the so called "Type-C" French Trade gun I've been working on most of the summer and fall for a fine gentleman in our ML gun club. Originals were made at St. Etienne during the Late Louis XIV period, by various gunsmiths and shipped from France to posts at FT. Mackinaw, Ft. St Joseph and Detroit, in Michigan. Artifacts of these guns have been recovered at all three sites, as well as New Orleans. But no complete guns of this era have survived in the colonies. Apparently no two guns were built alike, so this is my educated interpretation of what an original would have, or could have looked like. Rich Pierce was kind enough to loan me his copy of French Trade Guns in North America (out of print) by Kevin Gladysz to study. Thanks again!
It sports a shorter 42" 20 ga. barrel and 13 1/2" trigger pull, for my 5'-4" customer. A lot of these early smoothies had a 50 to 57" barrels, but 42" ones were also found. The wood is an English Walnut blank from Dunlaps and most of the parts are from TOTW.
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Last Edit: November 06, 2018, 05:32:19 PM by t.caster
»
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Tom C.
rich pierce
Administrator
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Posts: 19294
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
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Reply #1 on:
November 06, 2018, 12:16:21 AM »
Looking good! Love the color. That lock has a wicked long mainspring if I recall. Or maybe that’s another. What does it weigh?
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Andover, Vermont
bama
Hero Member
Posts: 2158
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #2 on:
November 06, 2018, 12:16:32 AM »
Very well done Tom. I have become more aware of these types of early firearms mainly because a good friend of mine loves and collects early fowlers and trade guns. Matter of fact he is going to have a display at my show here in Alabama in January of early trade guns. I am also doing some restoration work on one of his fowlers that probably dates to 1740.
Again congratulations on a very nice looking piece. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Jim
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Jim Parker
"An Honest Man is worth his weight in Gold"
Huntschool
Sr. Member
Posts: 368
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #3 on:
November 06, 2018, 12:37:06 AM »
Nice job Tom. Love those trade guns......
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Bruce A. Hering
Program Coordinator/Lead Instructor (retired)
Shotgun Team Coach
Southeastern Illinois College
AMM 761
CLA
t.caster
Hero Member
Posts: 3720
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
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Reply #4 on:
November 06, 2018, 01:40:06 AM »
It weighs in at 8.2#
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Tom C.
Tim Crosby
Administrator
Hero Member
Posts: 18270
AKA TimBuckII
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #5 on:
November 06, 2018, 01:48:48 AM »
That is really good looking, Well done.
Tim
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oldtravler61
Hero Member
Posts: 4390
We all make mistakes.
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #6 on:
November 06, 2018, 03:19:23 AM »
Tom very nicely done. Really like the color. Well done..!
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Don Adams
Sr. Member
Posts: 257
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #7 on:
November 06, 2018, 05:16:34 AM »
Very nice Tom! Love the way it turned out.
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smart dog
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6952
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #8 on:
November 06, 2018, 03:00:38 PM »
Hi Tom,
Looks like the real deal. Nicely done!
dave
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"The main accomplishment of modern economics is to make astrology look good."
alacran
Hero Member
Posts: 2205
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #9 on:
November 06, 2018, 03:40:37 PM »
Nice gun. The butt architecture of this gun looks like it will be more pleasant to shoot than the latter French fusils.
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A man's rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. Frederick Douglass
longcruise
Hero Member
Posts: 1833
Arvada, Colorado
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #10 on:
November 07, 2018, 09:24:17 PM »
This just begs to be taken to the turkey woods!
Where did you source the side plate?
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Mike Lee
t.caster
Hero Member
Posts: 3720
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #11 on:
November 08, 2018, 05:26:56 PM »
Thanks for all the nice comments!
The brass side plate is from TOTW and is
very
similar to originals found in the Great Lakes region. And no it doesn't just sit on top of the wood as the pics might suggest
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Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 05:31:48 PM by t.caster
»
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Tom C.
Don Adams
Sr. Member
Posts: 257
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
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Reply #12 on:
November 09, 2018, 02:52:41 AM »
Tom,
In the 7th picture down, there appears to be a crack in the barrel? I'm sure it isn't, but it looks like one.
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t.caster
Hero Member
Posts: 3720
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #13 on:
November 09, 2018, 07:19:14 PM »
Don, thanks for the warning, but that's an engraved line for sight reference, since there is no rear sight. I also used a round headed tang bolt for additional reference. Some guys put a line of paint or nail polish in that groove so it's easier to see.
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Tom C.
Don Adams
Sr. Member
Posts: 257
Re: 1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished
«
Reply #14 on:
November 10, 2018, 03:04:42 AM »
Ahh, I thought maybe it might be, but as narrow as it was, I wasn't quite sure.
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1699-1708 Fusil Fin Finished