Rifle Flintlock converted to percussion. Back to flintlock?

[Marplot]

I am buying an original well-made gun, possibly 17?? That was converted to a percussion. The seller says it could be back to flintlock? How would I do this? Or should it take a gunsmith?

[rich pierce]

From the 1940s or whenever to the year 2000 or so, most collectible longrifles that were originally flint were reconverted to flint, and other restoration work was done to bring the guns back to their early years of use. This erased the history of the gun’s use. Now collectors often value “attic condition” guns - no restoration at all. Next best is stabilization - just enough work done to make the gun hold together while handling and transporting.

I am referring to longrifles with some value. In my opinion only, a gun that is common and of little value other than on a wall as rustic decor is not subject to “whatever you do, don’t touch it.”  I’ve seen discussion on another forum of a beat up rusted out cheap 1870 Belgian double barrel percussion shotgun worth 50 bucks where some passionately urged “ don’t touch it; you’ll ruin its collectors value!”

If you decide to get a valuable original worked on, I recommend that you prepare to wait a couple years to get the work done by a specialist.

[Cody Tetachuk]

Years ago I bought an original 20GA SXS circa 1790 that had gone through a drum/nipple percussion conversion. I bought it specifically because I wanted a SXS flint and it looked like an affordable way to get one. HOWEVER, my intention was to NOT do anything g that could to be put back the way I got it. As it turned out, (and as I suspected she I viewed the pics prior to purchase, the little L&R Bails locks were pretty much a drop in, just had to do some SLIGHT relief in the mortice to accommodate the mainsprings. I then made SS touch hole liners to fit the existing drum holes and had my SXS flint that I can put back to the way I received it in the time it takes to unscrew the touch hole liners, screw the drums back in and put the old locks back in. Point being, if you REALLY want it back to flint, there are ways to do it without losing the guns true history. I got lucky in that the L&R locks fit but no matter what the original locks look like, with some judicial "massaging" it is likely that replacement locks can be added without butchering the originals. I believe MNOST conversions were in the form of a drum/nipple arrangement which is easy to replace with a touch hole liner. However, if the breeches were converted in another fashion, this might be problematic. Unlikely to be insurmountable but might take a little more creativity to reconvert without losing the guns history. Just something to consider.

[Blacksmoke]

Cadilac Bill: Welcome to the forum,  If the percussion conversion was "well done" and not a hack job and the rest of the gun was still in very good shape I suggest to leave it alone for enteral value.  If the entire gun needs restoration then it might be a good choice to get it restored.  However I strive to do the restoration so the curators at the museum will say " that's a well made gun - glad to see that no one has messed with it" If the collectors and the curators do not see the restoration than it has been done right. But such work is rare and expensive.  Good luck,  Hugh Toenjes

[J.M.Browning]

Find a Rifle that checks all your boxes with a in hand inspection .

[JTR]

Cady Bill,
Yes, welcome to the forum, and as you can see, opinions vary on restoration.
I'm not going to try to sway opinions here, but instead give you an example of what can be done with a high level restoration, and let you decide for yourself.
I did this gun for the owner in 2022. The first picture is what he had and what I started with. The other 4 pages are pictures are the finished rifle, and some of the how it was done pictures, and comments.

Please post some pictures of your rifle when it arrives, because all of us here enjoy seeing pics of old originals, regardless of condition.

Click on the link below, and if you have any questions, just ask.

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=72513.0

John

[Marplot]

JTR, great job on the other rifle restoration. Ours is in less need! My hope and desire that the lock-plate I have can be reused. It appears that it was a flintlock, modified to percussion. Flint holes were expertly filled in and a new mainspring for percussion was replaced on the inside of the lock plate. This is a very simple idea understand that I am not all that cognizant of how this all works.







the forward lock bolt was replaced with a blind screw



notice where the alignment marks where screwed in




image uploader

The hook holds the forward bolt that was removed