A blunderbuss with an early lock

[rickystl]

Hi Fernando

I don't know how I missed this Thread some three years ago ? Glad you resurrected it with an update so I could read from the beginning.

That is a wonderful, early dog lock blunderbuss. Overall, the gun looks like it was assembled from various new/surplus parts for personal protection. To me, all the features of this gun point to pre-1700. Of course, the single sling swivel could have been added later during the period for belt or baldric type carry.
The lock, with the exception of the top screw, looks very much like the English doglocks from about the 3rd Quarter of the 17th Century. The long lock plate and frizzen spring with the pointed tail on the lock plate rear. The hammer and dog safety catch also are very English looking in style. So it appears that the Spanish/Portuguese made lock attempted to copy the popular English features at the time.
The butt stock looks more of a Spanish/Portuguese variant. Not at all English. The iron hardware, especially the butt plate and trigger guard, also look very much pre-1700 with it's plain hammer forged style.
The barrel looks similar to other large bore muskets from the period.
While the iron ramrod and barrel bands could be a bit later addition, I still believe this gun falls into the say, 1660-1675 Period. Just my speculation.

It's certainly great addition to a collection. Guns from the Third Quarter of the 17th Century and earlier are generally difficult to come by, especially in one piece. LOL Congratulations.

Rick

By the way, the doglock, with it's banana shaped lock plate on the navel swivel gun on Post #43 is similar to the English doglocks from the 4th Quarter of the 1600's to about 1720.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by rickystl

It's certainly great addition to a collection. Guns from the Third Quarter of the 17th Century and earlier are generally difficult to come by, especially in one piece. LOL Congratulations.

Rick

By the way, the doglock, with it's banana shaped lock plate on the navel swivel gun on Post #43 is similar to the English doglocks from the 4th Quarter of the 1600's to about 1720.

Rick, you posted some good info that puts Fernando's gun in a meaningful historical context. To which I'd like to add that the banana-shaped lockplate, generally with a pronounced teat on its tail (the stem? ) is a common feature of the fully developed "French" flintlock in general during the period you mention, as applied to all types of firearms using it. In conservative regions like parts of the German-speaking lands, it is recognizable on guns dating from a bit later as well.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by rickystl

... That is a wonderful, early dog lock blunderbuss........ It's certainly great addition to a collection. Guns from the Third Quarter of the 17th Century and earlier are generally difficult to come by, especially in one piece. LOL Congratulations...

Thanks for the kind words, Rick...