Blunderbuss

[Bill M]

Have you compared the stock with the American Revolutionary war pieces, like the Brown Bess?

[celtan]

Hi Fernando,


Seems I survived "The Battle Of The Hook" at Gloucester, now I feel like I'm coated in burnt BP...

: )

Just replaced the broken camera, I hope these new macros of the disassembled lock and barrel end better focused than the previous.

I sold my India Pattern Bessie a couple weeks ago. The similarities go well beyond the shape of the stock. The Lock is virtually identical (both sides). The trigger mount is different though, but similar in its design.

Check the follwing images.

Best

M

Originally Posted by Bill M
arsh

Have you compared the stock with the American Revolutionary war pieces, like the Brown Bess?

[celtan]

Hi Eley,

One thing that makes me doubt Indian provenance is it's a flintlock, and the Raj began in the mid 19th C., welll after flintlocks were obsolete.

That is, unless the brits were providing the sepoys with slightly obsolete weaponry, in case of a potential insurrection...

Regards

M


More photos

[fernando]

Ai Ai Ai Manolo, that breech plug

A screw instead of a plug?

Do you trust it ?

Here are some plugs.

Fernando

.

[celtan]

Frankly, no. And the end shape of the flint holding screw is flat, instead of pointed. And the finish underneath the barrel's tang and the barrel don't seem well done. Add to that the total lack of markings and we get a confusing picture. Why?

This gun has seen action, there are multiple flint cuts in the side of the barrel, as well as burnt marks around the priming channel/ear and the cazoleta/flash pan has that unmistaken sign of having been flash-burnt repeatedly. Obviously, it was made to be used, not to be sold to unwary tourists. It's functional.


Kahnjar's theory looks more plausible now...

What do you make of it all? Fake, copy, field repair? Besides the barrel, most of the gun feels legit.

Originally Posted by fernando

Ai Ai Ai Manolo, that breech plug

A screw instead of a plug?

Do you trust it ?

Here are some plugs.

Fernando

.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by celtan

... What do you make of it all? Fake, copy, field repair? Besides the barrel, most of the gun feels legit ...

What do i know ? Indeed the barrel is the more suspicious section; note that its back is integral, whereas allways the tang and plug are separated from the barrel ... am i not right ?
But talking about screws, although the lock plate screws don't seem right, having a much too perfect end, for the period, i guess.
The lock itself looks too new, i would say. The trigger guard filing detail is rather raw, don't you agree ?
Remember what the other guy said about this piece being a kit ?
But i will not issue a final diagnosis; don't know enough to do so .
Saludos
Fernando

.

[celtan]

We concur. But I don't think it's a kit, otherwise we'd have seen plenty of others, and that's not the case. In fact, I have only seen one like it in a weapon's book. All others are merely reasonably similar.

Filipino armorers can copy most guns in a couple days. The odd thing is that it came with a real 18-19th C. spanish flintlock pistol, both bought concurrently from the very same source.

I'm at a loss here.



M

Originally Posted by fernando

What do i know ? Indeed the barrel is the more suspicious section; note that its back is integral, whereas allways the tang and plug are separated from the barrel ... am i not right ?
But talking about screws, although the lock plate screws don't seem right, having a much too perfect end, for the period, i guess.
The lock itself looks too new, i would say. The trigger guard filing detail is rather raw, don't you agree ?
Remember what the other guy said about this piece being a kit ?
But i will not issue a final diagnosis; don't know enough to do so .
Saludos
Fernando

.