TWO MATCHLOCK MUSKETS for ID and COMMENT

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

As stated before, I have extreme doubts as to the existence of a "powder chamber". IF one exists how does one see that it is filled to the CORRECT level?? On pistols with turnoff barrels one can see how full the chamber is...........
Stu

Hi Stu. I'm finally back home and the computer is fixed. LOL Thanks for your PM correspondence.
OH! I so hope you are right that there is NOT a powder chamber. As you mention, it would be difficult to know how much powder to use. You would want to make sure the chamber is full. Otherwise the load could end up a bore obstruction. Maybe all of the larger breech area just contains the iron filler up to where the actual bore size begins? Hmmm.. But I think I know how to find out for sure. I'll use my tiny bore light with a wire and run it down to the end of the barrel and view. I have wood ramrods/cleaning rods that are 57" long and various sizes of cleaning jags. So I will run the rod down the barrel as far as it will go and measure the length of the inside of the bore versus the outside length of the barrel. This should tell me the amount of FILL there is in the breech length. Then I'll slowly run a snug cleaning patch down the barrel to see if the resistance is the same for the entire length. Or will the patch become loose at the breech end. I'll report back this weekend. Rick.

[kahnjar1]

Sadly not to be a shooter, but will look real nice on display. The bore is too pitted to risk firing, and I do not believe in sleeving unless the gun is to be used in competitive shooting. Anyway there are good modern made replicas for this purpose.......
I have not at this stage made a pan cover, but that will come in time.
Comments welcome.
Stu

[BANDOOK]

HI STU PLEASE CAN YOU PUT UP CLEAR PICTURES OF YOUR HOOKS WITHOUT THE GUNS AS I CANNOT MAKE OUT,IF YOU CAN EVEN JUST PUT UP THE HOOKS YOU USE IT WILL BE GREAT,CHEERS

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Sadly not to be a shooter, but will look real nice on display. The bore is too pitted to risk firing, and I do not believe in sleeving unless the gun is to be used in competitive shooting. Anyway there are good modern made replicas for this purpose.......
I have not at this stage made a pan cover, but that will come in time.
Comments welcome.
Stu

Hi Stu.
Well, that gun cleaned up really nice! Good job! And finding the brass decoration on the barrel is a bonus. Sometimes we never know whats under all the crud till we clean it. LOL. Should display well in your collection.
The pan cover is missing on mine also. Seems that most of them are on these guns. I too plan on having one made. Here are a couple of pics of original pan covers in case you're interested. Rick.

[kahnjar1]

Hi Rick,
Thanks for your kind comments re the clean up. As you say it's a great surprise to find nice bits under the crud. #2 also has some barrel brass work visible, and this time all the barrel bands are also brass. On #1 only the bands at each end are brass with the three middle bands being iron.
Thanks for the pan cover pics. Seems these bits easily fall off or maybe they are removed by the owner so as to facilitate fast shooting. Nothing would be more embarrassing (or fatal) than to pull the trigger on a closed pan! Still they are real easy to make...just some careful shaping to fit the pan.
Stu

[Albert]

For the forumites who don't have the Egerton book.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Albert

For the forumites who don't have the Egerton book.

Thanks Albert for posting this. Interesting that the stock shape of my #1 does not appear here.
Stu

[rickystl]

Thanks for posting this. I'll have to get this book. And a couple others I still don't have. Rick.

[Springfield03]

Very neat matchlock muskets you have there.

Albert, which particular book are those pages taken from? I'll have to pick it up.