Author Topic: Upcoming Tulle project (Read 12993 times)

David Rase · « **on:** July 29, 2008, 03:36:34 AM »

About once a year I get a hankering to build myself a Tulle Fussil de Chase, then the urge goes away. I am starting to get that urge again so I am back performing research. I have T. M. Hamilton's book "Colonial Frontier Guns" and "The Fusil de Tulle in New France 1691-1741 by Russel Bouchard. What are some other good references out there for me to research. I will be using a 44" 16 guage barrel and forging my own mounts so I will not be limited by store bought castings. Thanks for the help.
DMR

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2008, 04:00:17 AM »

David, your reference books are good ones. Having built one and worked on a second, let me just say...keep the drop at the comb comfortable for you. These fusils have a tendency to crack your cheek good.

northmn · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2008, 04:42:26 PM »

When building fowlers I like to remind people that no one ever went to jail for shooting the things before finishing them to see that the gun fits.

DP

David Rase · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2008, 10:51:35 PM »

Taylor/DP,
Thanks for the wisdom, good advice. I have heard stories about the Tulle and it's lack of fit and comfort. Still, I need to take the plunge and experience first hand the lore of the Tulle. There is just something about the fusil de chasse that attracts me. I need to build one and either get it out of my system or love it.
DMR

Stophel · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2008, 11:37:34 PM »

Some of the precarves have a horrible fat, rounded comb. From the photos I have seen of old guns, they have a more properly shaped comb, so if done right, they won't have that cheek crunching shape.

T*O*F · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:03:15 AM »

David,
French guns don't need to have that radical Tulle shape. There is an almost exact duplicate of this gun in the Museum of the Fur Trade. It was my first smoothbore when I started reenacting F&I as "une habitant des la Riviere des Illinoise." It's not aged.....the wear is honest.

I don't even flinch when this gun goes off and it has never been a cheek-banger.

Eric Kettenburg · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:22:53 AM »

There's a website 'out there' somewhere that does a GREAT job with many Tulle arms details. Some fantastic info w/ good photos also, especially in regards to markings. Unfortunately I can't remember where I saw it but I do recall the term "New France" was used quite a bit. Should be able to find it via google.

Eric Kettenburg · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:24:37 AM »

I think this is it: http://www.lanouvelle-france.com/

ehoff · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2008, 06:28:27 PM »

Here's a photo of the fusil-de-chasse I finished last year, maybe it will keep the urge going.

David Rase · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2008, 08:29:53 PM »

Quote from: ehoff on July 31, 2008, 06:28:27 PM

Here's a photo of the fusil-de-chasse I finished last year, maybe it will keep the urge going.

Thanks ehoff, I have got past the urge and made the committment. I inlet the barrel into a nice (too nice) piece of curly English walnut last night. Ramrod hole will get drilled tonight and then I will slab off excess wood with the old bandsaw. Next week I will get the butt plate forged out, filed up and inlet. I think this should be a rather quick project. I hope so as I want to take the gun over to eastern Washington this fall/winter and blast a few ducks with it .
DMR

ironwolf · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2008, 12:51:02 AM »

Keep us updated David. Been pining for a '16' lately.

Kevin

tg · « **Reply #11 on:** August 03, 2008, 02:39:58 AM »

I put one of TOW's 44" guns from Tulle together a couple of years ago and it comes to the shoulder/eye very nicely, it has aWalnut stock and modified Davis Tulle lock in .58 bore , it is one of the more radical comb styles but works great for me, I tried to fit it as I worked the wood down and it came out about as good as I could hope for, the sources you have are good ones and give you some variations on the buttstockstock shape, I think the main thing is to set it up so you don't have to get down into the stock to pick up the sight picture, the front sight on many originals is about 4" back this works well farther forward may cause the head to go to low and be uncomfortable, this can be checked for fit as well before attatching, good luck and enjoy the project this is one of the most comfortable guns to shoot I have ever owned.

alex e. · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2008, 06:12:08 AM »

This stock pattern was taken from an original fusil. Accoarding to a collector who owns an original Tulle FDC This profile was more common ca. 1720's, The "pied de voche" profile is believed to have been produced during a limited time frame???
Brass timmed FDC's were made as they were recorded in contracts with the King.It is rumored that there is one in a collection somewhere.

Alex..

MScott · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2008, 03:07:48 AM »

What we really need is a good early French lock 1700 -1750 for use on these French guns . Rifle Shoppe has them but... Jim Chambers what do you think?

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #14 on:** August 08, 2008, 05:23:16 AM »

David, you'll see a number of Tulle fusil guns at Heffley in a few weeks, and get to throw them to your shoulder. That will give you a good idea of what to expect.

David Rase · « **Reply #15 on:** August 08, 2008, 04:08:20 PM »

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on August 08, 2008, 05:23:16 AM

David, you'll see a number of Tulle fusil guns at Heffley in a few weeks, and get to throw them to your shoulder. That will give you a good idea of what to expect.

Taylor, That sounds great. I will be forging up the butt plate this weekend. I inletted the barrel and drilled for the ramrod along with slabbing off some wood.
TOG, Kevin, ehoff and Alex, Thanks for all the great pictures. I have enjoyed looking at them. I am still working out what lock I will use. Initially I was going with the Davis Tulle lock but did not like the cock. Then I thought, Davis Tulle lock with Chambers early Ketland cock. I still like that idea the best. Now I have been looking at how close I can file up the early Chambers Ketland lock to look Tulle.
I am having fun with this project. There are lots of possibilities.
DMR

alex e. · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2008, 12:19:27 AM »

David, thats an early ketland on my fusil.It was a bit of work but i like it, The Davis lockcan be made made to look right on once it is befarbed.A little less work than the Ketland.For my own personal gun I'd do the Ketland again.{I just like the Chambers locks though]

40Haines · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2008, 04:02:30 AM »

My Tulle

I really like the Curly Ash.

tg · « **Reply #18 on:** August 09, 2008, 04:02:23 PM »

A proper lock for the French guns would be nice, but I doubt Jim woud live long enough to sell enough of them to pay for setting up a new lock pattern, and most pre-carved stocks would likley have to be re figured to accomadate the large lock, the Davis and L&R will cllean up to pass muster even if a bit small, I think Caywoods are even smaller yet, but that might be to match the scale of the 41" barrels...

David Rase · « **Reply #19 on:** August 09, 2008, 09:51:41 PM »

I was down in my shop looking at the Davis Tulle lock, the Chambers early Ketland lock and the Davis Colonial American lock. All three have posibilities. Guess I will go out to my forge and make the butt plate and then come back in an look at them with my references again. I still have a couple of days before I will make the committment.
DMR

tg · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2008, 10:45:23 PM »

There is a little wiggle room if you compare the pics of the surviving guns in Hamiltons and Beauchards works the locks differ a bit from gun to gun, I sanitized the Davis lock mainly the took the spurs off the frizzen and the usually as described by Kit Ravenshear. I did buy and extra cock for the Davis lock to re-do more to my liking but it is still on the workbench I was going to straighten out the back by building up with wirefeed and file to shape....maybe someday. It works fine with the one on it.

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Author Topic: Upcoming Tulle project (Read 12993 times)

northmn

ironwolf

tg

40Haines

tg

tg