New England Fowler Help

[silky]

Hi,

Two questions/requests....

1) Does anyone have pictures to share of the simple "nuts" sometimes used on NE fowlers to hold the tang bolt when a trigger plate was not used? The pic below shows a really crude one, though I think it may be a replacement since the original mortise is larger and more crisp... thoughts?

2) When no trigger plate was used, it seems some fowlers/muskets have a recess in the wood where the trigger enters the stock, almost like an inlet for a trigger plate, while others don't -- what's the purpose of that recess and is it functional, a necessary result of inletting, or merely a matter of aesthetics?

Thanks. I'm building a very basic fowler and trying to decide on these details. I want to replicate basic, but not crude.

- Tom


- Tom


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[Bob Gerard]

A Fowler I completed was started by a man named Callaghan from New Milford. I understand he was building this in the style of the Hill fowlers in Vermont (?) of the 1770’s.
When I bought the partially completed gun, the barrel was mounted and pinned . It had no trigger plate  yet, but the maker used a square nut to secure it.  I am not sure if this was a temporary set-up or if he was copying an old original. Anyway, rather than removing a very functional system, I just modified my trigger plate to accommodate it.
I was not sure if this was ever done, but went with it. I am interested to see that there were originals done in this manner. Photo attached.




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[silky]

Thanks for posting the pics, Bob, they're very helpful. I think they confirm that using a nut was probably done in a manner similar to trigger plates -- tight inlet, flush to slightly recessed. There is nothing crude about yours.

Thanks again!

- Tom

[Bigmon]

I like that rear sight idea for a fowler?  Is it your idea or were there originals like that?

[t.caster]

In all my 45 years of studying and building rifles and fowlers, I hate to admit, I have never seen that captured nut method.
I've always used a trigger plate, even on schimmels just to give the stock a little extra strength in a weak area. I figured (maybe wrong) if a trig plate was not used a wood screw was used at the breech tang.
Ya learn something new every day on this site!

[2 shots]

 look up Dave Persons post on his Hills fowler

[Bob Gerard]

Hi Bigmon- that rear sight was soldered or brazen onto the barrel when I received the unfinished Fowler. I think it is bronze. I have no idea if it’s historical but I imagine with all Callaghan did on the piece that he got the idea from an original. Just guessing here.

[Tumbledown]

look up Dave Persons post on his Hills fowler

Known here as smart dog