FUSIL LOCK PANEL BEAVER TAIL

[Woodland]

I am trying to build a Fusil De Chase from a pre-carve stock that came from TOW.  I have built a few of their pre carve rifles in the past, but this one seems to be particularly horrible. My question is in shaping the lock panels.  I live on the border between Canada and NW Washington, and I have never seen an original FDC in real life.  I have done as much looking online as I could stand but can't seem to get my answer.  Did most of the fusils have the beaver tail carving on the rear of the lock panels?  I want to eliminate them as that part of the pre-carve was totally junk.  I possibly could save them, but will only do it if they were a formative part of that style of fusil.  Personally i like the look without.  Most of the originals I have seen online had them, but it seems only 50% of the contemporary guns do.  Can any of you much better educated on this subject weigh in?  Thanks so much!

Jon

[Clark Badgett]

IIRC, they are usually there, in some shape or another. There should also be a thin apron around the tang.

[jrb]

If you have a facebook account, you might want to check out the page, French Fusils by Alex Efremenko. Maybe send him a personal message there.

[Mike Brooks]

They  should have beaver tails at the end of the lock panels and another at the tang. Study pictures of originals and ignore contemporary guns. Very few people do these guns right.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Buy a copy of Gale's "For Trade and Treaty", which I believe TOW has for sale.  There are some good photos of a fusil de chasse.  They usually had an odd "diamond" shaped tail or a more traditional oval beaver tail.  The tail was small and there was usually a small apron around the front of the lock.  The link below shows a St. Etienne version with the diamond tail
 http://www.ambroseantiques.com/flongarms/plain.htm

On the few original examples I've seen, the carving was rather crude.

Mike is right about focusing on the originals.

dave

[Woodland]

Thank you gentlemen!  That was what I needed.  I appreciate the guidance.

Jon

[Clark Badgett]

Hamilton pictures 3 complete FDCs, Bouchard shows at least one higher end model, Gale shows one very worn out and butchered example, Gladysz has at least one Tulle and several St. Ettiene examples. They all have some form of tear drop and tang aprons.