French trade musket (Fusil De Chasse) or English Northwest Fur Trade Musket ?

[Kurt]

Which, in your opinion, would be the better gun to have, and why? Thanks.

[Kevin]

Kurt,

It might depend on what you are wanting to do with it.  Are you looking for something from a particular timeframe, something that would have been common in a particular area, or a smoothbore for hunting?

Kevin

[rich pierce]

Also if a contemporary gun, a lot would have to do with the maker and the parts they use and the quality of the build, as well as design they choose. Many original later NW trade guns didn’t have much drop. Not many builders replicate stock architecture of a specific original but instead make it easy fur the average shooter to mount and see the sights. Your question is kind of broad as both French and English trade guns varied a lot in any given time frame, and even more over time. There’s not a single model of French or English trade guns built to a standard for decades.

I’d go with what was common in the geological area and timeframe of interest.

[Kurt]

Based on the replies, I see that I know so little about the subjects that it was probably a naive question on my part. I have, as usual, been educated, though, as it occurs to me from suggestions that the Fowler Kibler makes is neither the English trade gun I was thinking of, nor the French Fusil, but a trade gun of English design, looking more like the French. Thanks for the patience.

I'll mention this for your amusement. On these slow, quiet Sunday evenings, I think that if I had a smoothbore flintlock, I could hunt every season in PA with the same gun, except, of course, archery.

[rich pierce]

No worries. If not a stickler for historical context - time, geography, culture, and social status, I’d get a gun that’s well made and has great components and fits well. And not worry about the rest unless you sort of casually like having a sense of “persona” you’d like to pursue.

[reddogge]

I find a NW trade gun a very light, handy and accurate smooth bore with lots of history and provenance behind it. If ease in building is one of your goals it would be hard to beat a Kibler Fowler.

[Kevin]

On these slow, quiet Sunday evenings, I think that if I had a smoothbore flintlock, I could hunt every season in PA with the same gun, except, of course, archery.

Kurt,
Another thought.

Maybe go with an option outside of the two listed in the subject line, and do like many historical Pennsylvanians did: go with a smooth rifle.  Something in the .54 to .58 caliber range would handle deer and bear and handle loads of shot as well.

Kevin

[Hungry Horse]

 In my experience a smoothbore will almost always fit somebody, but not necessarily you. You have to fit a Fowler to your specific body type. A rifle is a little more forgiving because you usually have a little more time to mount, and adjust, the way it fits you. I found that when I started to build my first tradegun neither the English, or the French, gun was a dead on match for me. But, when I shot a chiefs grade tradegun with the straight stock profile, and the drop of the French trade musket it was right on the money.
 I also prefer the shorter trade musket over the ones with longer barrels. Especially when hunting.

Hungry Horse

[rich pierce]

In my experience a smoothbore will almost always fit somebody, but not necessarily you. You have to fit a Fowler to your specific body type. A rifle is a little more forgiving because you usually have a little more time to mount, and adjust, the way it fits you. I found that when I started to build my first tradegun neither the English, or the French, gun was a dead on match for me. But, when I shot a chiefs grade tradegun with the straight stock profile, and the drop of the French trade musket it was right on the money.
 I also prefer the shorter trade musket over the ones with longer barrels. Especially when hunting.

Hungry Horse

Good advice. I’ll add I may make myself a short barreled turkey gun. My 46, 44, and 42” ones are hard to line up in a blind.

[Hungry Horse]

 I built my first tradegun when they were kind of rare out here on the West coast. Being rare also made them kind of expensive. So, my first tradegun was built from parts I scrounged or made. This low end investment dictated that the gun would wind up with a 20 gauge shotgun barrel that was only 30” long. To my surprise it performed very well. My gun and a friends 30” barreled gun filled a thirty bird card at a local pheasant club, and another gun we built that only had a 28” barrel (because we couldn’t get another 30” barrel) killed a 5X6 elk in Idaho with one shot at 80 yards.

Hungry Horse

[Kurt]

All good advice! I once was a trap shooter, and I know the importance of gun fit. The eye alignment serves as the rear sight. I also know from experience that I need a high comb. Unfortunately, around here, there are few guns to try for a fit. Thanks very much for the information. It is appreciated.

[Hungry Horse]

 While we’re talking about trade guns and their  sights or lack there of. I’ll give you an idea that works for me. When I built my first trade gun I got impatient to shoot it in a trade gun match. The problem was I didn’t have a front sight for it. I decided to use a solder on barrel lug and then shape it like a sight. I soldered it on in a hurry and got it a hair to far to the right. When I sighted it in, I found that if I got my eye centered over the center of the barrel, and the put the center of the target right in the corner where the base and the blade intersected I could hit it almost every time. I later extended the engraved groove that designated the center of the barrel at the breech, so I could made sure I was on center. It’s no help shooting shot, but its close enough that if you’ve developed you pattern you’ll hit it anyway.

 I’ll also tell you don’t try to allow for a gun the habitually shoots low. Bend the barrel so it shoots center.

Hungry Horse