Fowler Restoration

[Fullstock longrifle]

I recently came across some pictures of a restoration project I worked on about 12 years ago. A friend picked up this 1790’s (give or take) trade gun that had serious problems in the lock area, but fortunately the rest of the gun was in its original untouched condition. Apparently when it was converted to percussion many years ago, the original lock was removed and replaced with a back action percussion lock. Somewhere along the way the back action lock was lost and someone else tried their hand at restoring it. An area in front of the lock was cut out and wood had been hogged out in the lock mortise. It was a mess, but I decided to see what I could do with it. I had a lock plate that was missing most of its parts but it looked like it would work. The lock needed to be dressed out and wood needed to be replaced in the lock area, but after a couple month here is the result.  Wish I had more overall  pictures of the gun, but these are all I have unfortunately.

[debnal]

That is great work. So good it's scary!
Al

[Dave Marsh]

You get a big WOW from me.  That is super work.

[JTR]

Fine job there! Very fine job, to say the least!
John

[Avlrc]

What I wanna know, are you still that good? 

Nice work.

[Fullstock longrifle]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words.

[Fullstock longrifle]

What I wanna know, are you still that good? 

Nice work.

I’ve got 12 more years of experience Mark, hopefully I’m better….😉

[Majorjoel]

Zowwy Frank!   I'd never thought that a back action lock could be changed into a standard type.  You proved to me it can and boy what a fine job you did on that fine old fowler!!

[Fullstock longrifle]

Zowwy Frank!   I'd never thought that a back action lock could be changed into a standard type.  You proved to me it can and boy what a fine job you did on that fine old fowler!!

Thanks Joel, first time I ever tried it, I was happy with they way it turned out.

[mr. no gold]

What is the old saying? "The easy jobs we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer!" This one falls into the latter category in my view. Wow! Superb job, Frank. No disappointment here; would never even guess that the before and after photos are of the same gun. Righteous work! Thank you for the photos.
Dick

[Old Time Hunter]

VERY nicely done! Thanks for posting this!

[lexington1]

Wow, Frank! I've seen quite a bit of your work and I am always impressed.

[Fullstock longrifle]

Thanks again guys, I appreciate all your comments. I normally wouldn’t have taken on a project like this, but this gun definitely deserved to be saved.

[VP]

Frank,

Very nice work indeed. You did it justice.

VP

[oldtravler61]

  Frank I am absolutely astounded by your work... Super impressed indeed...!! 

[Tanselman]

While no one knows the number, we have undoubtedly lost many significant early guns and rifles due to what some prior owner considered excessive damage, mutilation, chopped down, altered excessively, or just plain worn out. I applaud anyone who invests his/her time and money in salvaging these neat old "needy" guns. Even if top-shelf collectors "look down their nose" at heavily restored rifles, many other collectors appreciate them, and researchers have one more example to study that has survived, by someone's good graces that didn't see a pile of junk, but rather saw a pile of opportunity. I'm glad to see this fowler is one of those seen as an opportunity... and a job very well done.

Shelby Gallien

[Rajin cajun]

We Longrifle collectors are a strange lot. We all want to find a gun in attic condition that has no restoration. Colt collectors all want Single Actions that were at the Little Big Horn battle with Custer, but want them to be 99 percent original finish. Winchester collectors are the same. We all want our collection to reflect the history of our nation. But we all want them to look untouched ! We all have used statements In negotiating on a long gun ,”Oh, that has been restored!”
Now take car collectors, they want there cars totally restored, restoration adds value to there cars and is the first thing that is mentioned to the potential buyer. Why can’t we as collectors just appreciate the artifact for what’s there ! I would bet that if you took 100 of the top long guns and soaked them we would be amazed at the pieces and parts that would come off ! We are dealing with objects that are two or three hundred years old. I think we need to give them respect for what they are. Conserve and restore, or conserve it in condition “as found”! Enjoy the artifact for what it is and for what it has done!
It should be the importance of the artifact not the pedigree of the former collector that drives the price!
Properly done Conservation, or restoration is a matter of the owners choice, if it saves the object it should be acceptable, and should never have to be apologized for.
Nice work Frank, and thanks for saving that old workhorse !!! Wonder how much restoration has been done on the Mona Lisa .??

Bob

[Fullstock longrifle]

Again, thank you for the kind words, I appreciate them.

My mentor was Carl Pippert, known back in the day as old Joe Kindig’s gunsmith. Carl’s philosophy on restoration was to do no harm and to always match the new work to the old, never the other way around. He also didn’t believe in enhancing a gun through restoration, only do what was necessary, and I’ve always tried to follow his guidance.

Ragin Cagun you are right about the number of old guns that have seen some form of restoration over the years. Carl once asked me (with a sheepish grin on his face), you know all of those early great untouched rifles in books (I nodded yes)? Well they have my fingerprints all over them….

[JV Puleo]

Now take car collectors, they want there cars totally restored, restoration adds value to there cars and is the first thing that is mentioned to the potential buyer.

Not any more, at least not to the extent that was common 20 years ago. Now, largely untouched cars in excellent condition are very sought after and it's considered a crime to do any more than make them functional. There is a difference though...cars are complicated mechanical devices that are intended to be driven. As such, there are certain things that must be done to make them reasonably safe. Guns are in an entirely different situation since the overwhelming majority are not going to be used and any restoration is just for cosmetic purposes. That said...about 90% of the heavily restored "classics" (I'm referring to pre-WWII cars...not '56 Chevy's) are functionally questionable. Practically all of the money is spent on cosmetics so it isn't unusual to find a 1928 Pierce Arrow that looks beautiful and is unsafe to drive.

[JV Puleo]

I know of a John Armstrong rifle that brought a record price about 30 years ago in which the lock had been replaced in a similar fashion...in this case, I knew the man who owned it and the man who did the work. The lock came from an English fowler. When it was auctioned it was touted as absolutely untouched and, having seen it, I can say that the work was virtually impossible to detect. We always referred to it as the $3 rifle because the owner had paid that for it in the late 1930s.

[Rajin cajun]

There is the problem! It’s not the restoration of the Armstrong that creates the nature of the conversation, it’s the human responsibility to bring to light the restoration. The Armstrong was a great gun before it was restored, and still is after restoration. The stick in the wheel is that history of its restoration being Conveniently forgotten by the owner when offered for sale. That is why restoration is
disliked by so many collectors of firearms, not the firearm itself but the Lack of disclosure of restoration on it by the person who is offering it for sale. As said before restoration on autos is a selling feature, not a strike against it.
As for the antique autos, most of them will be driven by their owners as often as most collectors would fire that Armstrong.  Pre 1940’s autos have a long way to go to catch up To a two hundred year old weapon.
Bob

[Fullstock longrifle]

There is the problem! It’s not the restoration of the Armstrong that creates the nature of the conversation, it’s the human responsibility to bring to light the restoration. The Armstrong was a great gun before it was restored, and still is after restoration. The stick in the wheel is that history of its restoration being Conveniently forgotten by the owner when offered for sale. That is why restoration is
disliked by so many collectors of firearms, not the firearm itself but the Lack of disclosure of restoration on it by the person who is offering it for sale. As said before restoration on autos is a selling feature, not a strike against it.
As for the antique autos, most of them will be driven by their owners as often as most collectors would fire that Armstrong.  Pre 1940’s autos have a long way to go to catch up To a two hundred year old weapon.
Bob

I agree, the failure to disclose the restoration is the problem. People who know me know that I always disclose whatever work (if any) has been done to a gun if I’m selling it. One of the reasons I showed this project was to show what can be done. My opinion is that a restored gun still has value, but not as much as an unrestored gun, so it should be priced accordingly.

[Rajin cajun]

Frank, I hope everyone knows I was not speaking of you with my statement, not at all. Your showing the work you did on this Fowler was great. We all agree that there have been collectors who have had honest old guns “enhanced”, for the pure reason for monetary gain. I have always said proper restoration is a valuable asset to the collecting fraternity, and we are fortunate to have folks like yourself that can do that tedious work. But there have been some who could do the work, but didn’t have the Integrity to go along with the skill.
Bob

[Curtis]

Excellent work!  And good save.


Curtis

[JV Puleo]

There is the problem! It’s not the restoration of the Armstrong that creates the nature of the conversation, it’s the human responsibility to bring to light the restoration. The Armstrong was a great gun before it was restored, and still is after restoration. The stick in the wheel is that history of its restoration being Conveniently forgotten by the owner when offered for sale. That is why restoration is
disliked by so many collectors of firearms, not the firearm itself but the Lack of disclosure of restoration on it by the person who is offering it for sale. As said before restoration on autos is a selling feature, not a strike against it.
As for the antique autos, most of them will be driven by their owners as often as most collectors would fire that Armstrong.  Pre 1940’s autos have a long way to go to catch up To a two hundred year old weapon.
Bob

The gentleman who had the work done, and the man who did it were entirely candid about what had been done. It was the person who bought it from his wife, a once well known name in the antique long rifle world that I decline to mention that eventually consigned it to auction and, I suspect, neglected to mention it.