fowler lock molding standard

[Dave B]

I find that even now knowing what I need to do in regard to keeping my lock panels slim I find I still fall short of the standard. Check out the lock panel on the fowler from our Antiques section. They are they way they were ment to be.

[Gene Carrell]

Terrific workmanship!

[G-Man]

I posted a comment about that in the antiques section - that photo really shows this detail well - the molding above and below is not even really flat in cross setcion - sort of beveled or rounded over - very few contemporary builds get this detail right.  It is especially noticeable when using round-faced locks - it makes the gun appear rounded in cross section with no abrubt changes in the flow of the curves.  This is the thickest area of the gun (behind the cock) and the shaping helps visually slenderize it and give that nice taper forward and back from this point.

Guy

[flintriflesmith]

Guy,
I don't want to argue that these lock molding are not classic, because they are, but they are also heavily worn. Look at the wear on the tang carving and even on the silver mounts. Unlike many high quality fowlers this one was really used and used hard.

So, some of the roundness to the molding corners is not how they started life. I'll bet they were sharp and crisp when new!

If you want to see one in person with a lot less wear check with Freddie Harrison at the CLA. He has an original fowler with wonderful lock mortise/moldings. He has brought it most years.

Gary

[G-Man]

Hi Gary - I always wondered how much of it might be due to wear. On that Harman fowler it just looked a little too even to me to have not been deliberate shaping.  But you and Wallace have seen a lot more of these early pieces than I have, so I believe you!  Look forward to seeing you at CLA.

Guy

[Roger Fisher]

Guy,
I don't want to argue that these lock molding are not classic, because they are, but they are also heavily worn. Look at the wear on the tang carving and even on the silver mounts. Unlike many high quality fowlers this one was really used and used hard.

So, some of the roundness to the molding corners is not how they started life. I'll bet they were sharp and crisp when new!

If you want to see one in person with a lot less wear check with Freddie Harrison at the CLA. He has an original fowler with wonderful lock mortise/moldings. He has brought it most years.

Gary

Far be it from me to argue the point; but the roundness looks deliberate from the get go.  I can understand rounding said moulding in rear quarter of the lock and front of the lock; but really not behind/under the cock since that area is  not really worn much from shooting her!! Said rounding is quite even all the way around and certainly seems to be meant to be in fact rounded.  It does add to the 'flow' of that area of the old girl

[smart dog]

I believe the mouldings were slightly rounded on purpose but that style was by no means "the way" it should be done. You will see thin rounded mouldings, thin flat moldings, wider flat mouldings etc. on English fowlers from the 18th century. It all depended on the gunsmith. Even guns with rounded lock faces had a variety of mouldings.

dave

[Dphariss]

From looking a some other photos this is pretty much right wear or no wear. I doubt the moulding just at the upper front of the lock is worn all that much and the moulding at the top rear of the lock was often pretty narrow as in this gun.
It would nor be wrong to make an 18th Century fowler or even an English or German rifle with thin mouldings. But then neither would it be wrong to make them wider. The later guns, Circa 1800 Manton's etc seem to be wider.

Dan

[JTR]

My thoughts when I handled the gun was that this was the way the mouldings around the lock were made.
I could be wrong, and it could be from wear, but it would have to be very even wear.
But as Gary points out, the gun has been used a lot with a lot of the details in the silver worn down so it'd be difficult to difinitively say the lock mouldings are as original.
In person, she's certainly a sleek beauty though!
John

[Dphariss]

My thoughts when I handled the gun was that this was the way the mouldings around the lock were made.
I could be wrong, and it could be from wear, but it would have to be very even wear.
But as Gary points out, the gun has been used a lot with a lot of the details in the silver worn down so it'd be difficult to difinitively say the lock mouldings are as original.
In person, she's certainly a sleek beauty though!
John

Its definitely one of those "learning experience" guns.

Dan

[Stophel]

Here's a somewhat worse for wear German fowling gun ca. 1760.  Pay no attention to the condition of the lock and barrel...it's not my fault.




fairly narrow edges.