TotW Fusil de Chasse?

[Panzerschwein]

Hi friends. The smoothbore bug bites firmly and I have been investigating. I am learning about the French smoothbores of the early-mid 18th century and that is because I grew up right next to Fort de Charters in Southern Illinois. Really interesting time. I also love the French butt shape and the general lines of these weapons.

What is everyone’s thoughts on the Track of the Wolf Fusil de Chasse kit?

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partdetail.aspx/601/1/french-tulle-fusil-de-chasse-44-parts-list



Is this considered a good kit in terms of proper shape and is it of good quality? I am intrigued because I’ve never built a gun and according to track this is there easiest kit which would be beneficial for me.

Thank you all and a Happy New Years. May 2021 be better and may we all burn smoke and send ball,

-Smokey

[Keb]

This book is good if you can find it.

[alex e.]

The barrel is wrong. The profile doesn't  match any of the three original  barrels  I have from st.Etienne or Tulle.
The ramrod web is a bit t thick for my liking.
If you know what your doing while shaping  the lock panels and tang,you'll lose all the carving, just as well the tang is all wrong.
Get rid of the sight they sell with it,its wrong.
The ramrod pipes that come e with it are questionable.  I'd go with plain sheet metal
That being  said,  it can make a fair looking piece.

[Mike Brooks]

The barrel is wrong. The profile doesn't  match any of the three original  barrels  I have from st.Etienne or Tulle.
The ramrod web is a bit t thick for my liking.
If you know what your doing while shaping  the lock panels and tang,you'll lose all the carving, just as well the tang is all wrong.
Get rid of the sight they sell with it,its wrong.
The ramrod pipes that come e with it are questionable.  I'd go with plain sheet metal
That being  said,  it can make a fair looking piece.

Other than the above, it's perfect.

[Panzerschwein]

The barrel is wrong. The profile doesn't  match any of the three original  barrels  I have from st.Etienne or Tulle.
The ramrod web is a bit t thick for my liking.
If you know what your doing while shaping  the lock panels and tang,you'll lose all the carving, just as well the tang is all wrong.
Get rid of the sight they sell with it,its wrong.
The ramrod pipes that come e with it are questionable.  I'd go with plain sheet metal
That being  said,  it can make a fair looking piece.

Oh wow. Any alternatives that are a closer match?

In addition, are there any builders making good ones? I am also not at all against just hiring a builder.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Though I've never held one in my hands, RE Davis makes a nice parts set for the French Trade Gun...with 48" barrel too.

I've had a lot of experience with various Tulle muskets and the bottom line for me is this:  the stock design on the contemporary kits is a real cheek slapper.  There isn't enough drop at the COMB and the Pied de Vache buttstock shape further exacerbates that.  I have a reference text on these original guns, and TOW's design doesn't even approach HC to my eye.  So check out RE DAvis' effort.

[Clark Badgett]

The barrel is wrong. The profile doesn't  match any of the three original  barrels  I have from st.Etienne or Tulle.
The ramrod web is a bit t thick for my liking.
If you know what your doing while shaping  the lock panels and tang,you'll lose all the carving, just as well the tang is all wrong.
Get rid of the sight they sell with it,its wrong.
The ramrod pipes that come e with it are questionable.  I'd go with plain sheet metal
That being  said,  it can make a fair looking piece.

Could you be so kind to provide illustrations of the differences? Especially of the barrel tang? Unfortunately their are only 3 published works of French trade and hunting guns, one is unobtainium and the other 2 are quite dated and lack the illustrations for full study. 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks, all. Didn’t know they had a tendency to slap the cheek. No fun not being near the east coast away from muzzleloader country. I’ve never fired one.

I’d prefer one in 24 bore (.58) so I could use it with .575” round balls which I have plenty access too. Yet of course most modern barrels would be even heavier and throw the balance off.

Bother.

[Bill Raby]

I built one of those. Its a great gun even if the history is off a bit.

[Clark Badgett]

Thanks, all. Didn’t know they had a tendency to slap the cheek. No fun not being near the east coast away from muzzleloader country. I’ve never fired one.

I’d prefer one in 24 bore (.58) so I could use it with .575” round balls which I have plenty access too. Yet of course most modern barrels would be even heavier and throw the balance off.

Bother.

All FDCs I know of were between .61-.63 caliber. But it seems they fired a .56 ball. That's a mighty loose combo.

[Daryl]

According to the information I've read, didn't matter whether French, English or Us - all used grossly undersized balls in the issued paper ctgs.
F of the A W books noted .64" cast balls for the .69 cal. US muskets, then went to .65" swaged balls which were more accurate x 100% - 2 turkey targets
at 100yards instead of 1 for 5 shots taken in testing.
In the rifles, we use much larger balls that fit tightly, but then, they are only good for about 10 shots that way, depending on the inner dimensions.  A .575" ball
in a .580" bore with no rifling is snug indeed. Might even shoot well without patching - have to test that.

[Clark Badgett]

Yes Daryl, those military cartridges were undersized, but after wrapping in regulation size papers to make the tube, they were almost paper patched. Those FDCs could have as much as .030-.035 per side windage if the bore was on the larger side.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Clay Smith offers one. Maybe check his website out.

Cory Joe Stewart

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You won't be able to shoot a .575" ball in a .58" bore with any kind of patch...though they'd work ok in a .600" bore with a .020" patch.  In a .58" bore, a .535" - .545" ball with a .020" - .025" patch would give good results.
You'd have to shoot your .575" ball with wads and no patch, and some here say they get great accuracy with this system...but not in my experience.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I urge folks to read Russel Bouchard's "The Fusil de Tulle, in New France" and also Kevin Gladysz's "The French Trade Gun in North America".  Then you will actually have documented data to discuss.

dave

[Clark Badgett]

Hi,
I urge folks to read Russel Bouchard's "The Fusil de Tulle, in New France" and also Kevin Gladysz's "The French Trade Gun in North America".  Then you will actually have documented data to discuss.

dave

I have about worn out my copy of the first. Have never been able to find the second for sale. T.M. Hamilton's Colonial Frontier Guns has info on 3 original FDC, but not an abundance of details or pictures from all angles.

[Panzerschwein]

Thank you I meant .575” with wads not patches. I will buy the two books mentioned, Track has the Tulle in New France one.