This project was based on a bead decorated Richard Wilson trade gun shown in T.M Hamilton’s “Colonial Frontier Guns” (1987). I previously posted my version of a beaded Fusil de Chase whose decoration predates this gun by 18 years if the beaded dates indicate the date decorated (1759 vs 1777). The decoration is very similar though the earlier gun has more bead work. Both have a date and initials in the same location leading one to believe that they must be connected somehow.
The original is believed to be one of the trade guns contracted by Sir William Johnson to keep the natives supplied with guns in the first decades after the French were driven from Canada. Presumably the natives were used to French style guns so Johnson requested this pattern. I think the original in this case dates to the late 1750’s or 1760’s and was part of a contract filled by Richard Wilson.
Though it has some warts, I’m pretty pleased with the way my version turned out. Constructive criticism is welcome.
I started this project in this past March at the SOAW class with Ian Pratt and Ken Gahagan. Highly recommend the class.
I had a nice piece of European beech for the stock and had David Rase inlet the barrel.
The barrel is a 45 3/8” 20 gauge Rice custom profile based on the original. I had to compromise a bit and had to have David Rase thin the breech a bit because my 2” thick blank would not quite accommodate the original 1 3/8” barrel breech.
The original gun had the initials “GG 6” but I changed it to mine, “RW.” I also added the line of beads along the bottom of the butt, just because.
I bought the Chambers Virginia lock already debridled (as was the original). I reshaped the frizzen and cock to more closely match the original. I also added three faux exposed lock screws (main and sear springs, and third lock bolt to match the original. Mike Brooks took care of the engraving for me. The lock worked pretty well though the original was a full ¼ inch longer, almost all in the tail.
The beads were hammered into slightly undersized holes with a drop of super glue. I then melted red wax into each bead. The beads on the Fusil de Chase were set in with red sealing wax and I like the way that it looks so did it on this gun as well. The original Wilson gun apparently did not use red wax, and probably not super glue either.
The dragon/serpent sideplate and the trigger guard are shared with the typical NW Trade Gun. In case you were wondering, the stock is colored principally with ferric nitrate. It worked very well with the beech.
I modified a cast butt plate to match the original. If I did it again I think I would beat one out of sheet brass as this one caused me some issues shaping the butt. Mike Brooks did the very nice engraving.
