Original barrel #4 English round barrel

[rich pierce]

This one is 45 7/8” long, has a sight right at the muzzle. Probably was 48” long originally. Bore 0.610. What do the proofs say about it? Doubt it ever saw London.

[backsplash75]

WK= William Ketland?

[rich pierce]

WK= William Ketland?

That’s what I was thinking.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Those are private Tower of London proof marks.  I doubt very much that the WK indicates William Ketland.

dave

[rich pierce]

Thanks Dave. Any idea on timeframe?

[backsplash75]

Hi,
Those are private Tower of London proof marks.  I doubt very much that the WK indicates William Ketland.

dave

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30264/lot/1071/a-massachusetts-marked-british-flintlock-militia-musket/

https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1297691

https://raven-antiques.com/details/18031810-Light-Dragoons-Flintlock-by-W-Ketland-Co/id/2388

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/1792-contract-rifle-in-original-flintlock.134359/page-3

[rich pierce]

Thanks, Backsplash!

[smart dog]

Hi,
With Backslpashes first example,  I have to concede that Ketland could be the contractor however, he did not make the barrel.  While I have seen guns with William Ketland marked locks and with private Tower proofs the only other barrel I've seen with WK is shown in Joe Puleo's paper on the Ketlands.  William Ketland was a wholesaler, retailer, and exporter and he had his own business during 1801-1804.  He died in 1804 but the business went on for several decades run by his partners. Your barrel probably dates from the very beginning of the 19th century.   

dave

[JV Puleo]

As mentioned above...Tower Private Proofs. I has to pre-date November 1804 when private proofing was discontinued. The WK may indicate William Ketland but that's just conjecture. It's probably the actual barrel maker or a mark to indicate who the barrel belonged to when sent to the Tower for proofing. Ketland certainly didn't "make" it. The Tower was proofing thousands of barrels so it stands to reason that they were often marked to say who actually owned them...more a bookkeeping issue than a maker's mark.

[rich pierce]

As mentioned above...Tower Private Proofs. I has to pre-date November 1804 when private proofing was discontinued. The WK may indicate William Ketland but that's just conjecture. It's probably the actual barrel maker or a mark to indicate who the barrel belonged to when sent to the Tower for proofing. Ketland certainly didn't "make" it. The Tower was proofing thousands of barrels so it stands to reason that they were often marked to say who actually owned them...more a bookkeeping issue than a maker's mark.

Thanks, I was hoping you’d chime in.

I think for the purposes of my planned parts gun project, the profile, length, bore, and breech diameter (as well as whether the bore cleans up and it survives a second proofing) will determine which ones I end up using, and the sort of parts gun they will live their second life in.