Spanish Carbine ID

[fernando]

Hi Rick,
I guess you haven't noticed that there are two Fernandos posting here.
Post #7 was done by Fernando K, one of our Spanish speaking members, reason why he posts with a translating resource.

I have consulted a qualified contact from Spain, who confesses he can't figure out who the barrel maker is at looking to those letters. I still think that the problem is not so much that of magnifying the mark but more a question of recognizing it by experience. Very often smiths 'condense' their names in the mark crests, by omitting some letters.
... like G.EL meaning Gabriel, Dieg. meaning Diego, JV meaning Juan, FRAN.co meaning Francisco. They also create 'monograms', like joining two letters in one.
So in some cases you realize what the name is about because you have already identified it before in some listing or the like.
My Spanish source pretends that this barrel mark belongs to a Portuguese smith, but i am quite convinced that it is Spanish, be it Galitian or Castillian.
... like the first group of letters meanning JVAN (old spell for Juan).
Concerning the carbine as a whole, i would suggest this is an arranged setup, something very often occurred with salvaged weapons, namely after wars and conflicts. Local (often regional) smiths get hold of salvaged components of various (often) different firearms and 'invent' new ones, sometimes making themselves some missing parts, as the barrel bands in this one seem to be.
So instead of assuming that this carbine was previously mounted with a flint lock and later updated by a 'miquelete' one, we would better say that the smith picked up a salvaged flint tlock stock and adapted it with a miquelet (patilla) lock to put up a new firearm setup. The stock might not even be Spanish, but one left behind by invasion armies or the like. The mounting of a miquelet lock would be consistent in Spain, even at late dates (not so much in Portugal), as they fancied this system for a long time and they would always have lots of them at hand to use in new arrangements.
Mind you, i am just guessing about the whole thing ... no documented expertize here .

[rickystl]

Fernando K : My appologies sir. I'm a bit embaressed Thank you so much for YOUR input. Most helpful.
Fernando: I can't thank you enough for your comments.
This has been a fun thread. I certainly know more about this gun then I did at the begining.
I guess the next step is for me to take it to the Range and test fire it. (The barrel has a new steel liner in it).
Again, thank you all for your responses. This is a great example of what makes this Forum fun and educational. Rick.

[Fernando K]

Hola, Rich

1 - Si la llave (lock) original hubiese sido la clásica llave de chispa (flintlock), la caja (stock) presentaría el receso para la contraplatina (sideplate), y si esta no fuera encastrada, al menos dos agujeros para los tornillos que sujetan la llave (lock). Particularmente, con el de atrás, que está situado muy arriba, detrás del tapón de culata (breechplug)

2- El perfil de la caja (stock) para la llave de miquelete original (miquelet lock) debe haber sido modificado, de manera que el suplemento (woden plug) fuera mas maciso (massive)

3 - Ayudaría también retirar la contraplatina actual (sideplate) y el guardamonte (triggerguard), para observar otras perforaciones.

4 - No he podido descifrar el punzón del cañón.(barrel)

Afectuosamente desde Argentina. Fernando K (no de Krchner)
Hey, Rich

1 - If the key (lock) had been the classic original flintlock (flintlock), the box (stock) would have a recess for contraplatina (sideplate), and if this were not embedded, at least two holes for the screws hold the key (lock). In particular, the back, which is located high up behind the plug head (breechplug)

2 - The profile of the box (stock) for the original Miquelet key (lock Miquelet) should be modified, so that the supplement (woden plug) were more mace (massive)

3 - It would also help remove the current contraplatina (sideplate) and guard (triggerguard) to look at other holes.

4 - I could not figure out the punch of the canyon. (Barrel)

Affectionately from Argentina. Fernando K (not Krchner)

[Fernando K]

Rick,
see the attached image for previous post.

Fernando K.

[rickystl]

Fernando K: Thank you so much for the detail. Your right. The side plate shows only the original two holes to connect the lock. I'm going to look at this again tonight. I'll report back this weekend. Again, thanks for the detail. Rick.