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  1. J

    Soldiers And Militia Getting Burnt While Shooting Flintlocks?

    I'd never seen or heard of a flash guard until the advent of reenacting. They weren't known at the two or three very early reenactments I went to, where many of the muskets were originals. As to the burn, I've had it happen to me but, like I said, we were shooting old guns and I attributed it...
  2. J

    Another Double ID

    Birmingham-made export quality gun, probably from just before or just after the Civil War.
  3. J

    Historical assistance sought

    If that is the name that is on it, and it is the same person, it is probably a Birmingham trade product. By the percussion period there was relatively little actual gunmaking going on in provincial Britain. It was so much easier to order up a gun from one of the trade suppliers with the...
  4. J

    A Kerr first model (?) revolver. Is it rare ?

    Actually, since I spend a fair amount of time in the UK I am quite aware of all those rules. I purposely didn't say "shoot", I said "own". Precisely as you say, you can buy an original (not a reproduction) muzzle loader off ticket.
  5. J

    A Kerr first model (?) revolver. Is it rare ?

    That is certainly a nice revolver, and probably fairly valuable. It will likely be a good deal more valuable in England than it is here, if only because percussion revolvers are about the only handguns that British citizens are still allowed to own without a license. If you would like you can PM...
  6. J

    Original flintlock ignition speed

    While there was some trade between them, England imported very little in the way of guns or gun parts from Belgium and what they did import almost entirely went to the Africa trade. But, in 1873 Britain had a reputation for making high quality guns while Belgium had a terrible reputation. (This...
  7. J

    Original flintlock ignition speed

    I'm certain Leaman didn't make them. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that no significant number of side locks for muzzle-loaders were ever made in the US outside those of the military and military contractors. In his testimony before the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry around 1855, John...
  8. J

    Original flintlock ignition speed

    Here's an excerpt from a case in the Old Bailey involving John Manton: 679. WILLIAM BOLD was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 14th of October , twenty-five steel counter-sinks and cutters, value 50 s. fourteen steel broaches, value 56 s. twenty-seven steel arbers and drills, value 27...
  9. J

    Now Here's an Interesting Lock

    The Henry Nock version also had no screws in it.
  10. J

    Original flintlock ignition speed

    My own observation, having owned dozens and having shot quite a few of them, is that the "low" quality of the Birmingham-made export locks is often greatly exagerated. I've also owned and shot several high end London guns including a Grierson Fuzee and a John Manton double. There is no question...
  11. J

    Now Here's an Interesting Lock

    Henry Nock submitted a whole series of guns to the British Ordnance Department designed around an inside cock flintlock like this.
  12. J

    Original flintlock ignition speed

    In the realm of purely non-scientific observation, I was most active as a shooter 20 years ago. I've always shot original guns, my favorite rifle being a Henry Pratt made in Roxbury Mass around 1810-1820. Shooting against my friends, most of whom had custom made reproductions, the lock on the...
  13. J

    Lock ID

    Its probably an English-made export quality lock from a side-by-side double. I say that because it looks to me as if the head of the single lock retaining screw was behind the cock. It would have passed through to the other side and been threaded into the opposite lock. If it was from a...
  14. J

    Historic Expetations of Flint Life

    I think that Zonie's observation is a very good one. I have seen roughly the same ratio reflected in 18th century British documents although this is only for military locks. My own flintlock shooting experience is exclusively with original guns, mostly a Henry Pratt flint NE rifle made around...
  15. J

    help identifying this flintlock

    I am really glad you brought that up. In my real life I was once a typesetter. To this day I collect 17th and 18th century books and completely agree with your assessment. I don't usually go into it only because so few people understand the subject but its like seeing a pantographed inscription...
  16. J

    help identifying this flintlock

    Its a great gun. I'd love to have it myself. 90% of the assembled muskets & fowlers that are called "Revolutionary"really date from the 1790s when the first militia act really put the pressure on for everyone to have some sort of gun. I am certain this one really is at least Revolutionary if...
  17. J

    help identifying this flintlock

    Mike, You're thinking of Teft - it may have been George Teft. He did most of his work for Kimball Arms who actually sold the stuff. The late William G. Renwick, just starting out in collecting in the 30s, was one of the big losers. When he learned how he'd been taken he simply gave up on...
  18. J

    help identifying this flintlock

    They are generally known as the Kimball-Teft fakes. Teft was the workman. He usually also added the name of a known NE maker on the barrel or lock, engraved in a fairly large flowing hand. There was no attempt to disguise the hand so all of the signatures look pretty much similar. Another thing...
  19. J

    Any Southpaws shoot a righthand flinter

    I've never shot a LH rifle either...I've really only shot original rifles and there just aren't any LH flint NE rifles that I've ever seen. In any case, it doesn't bother me and I've never given it much thought...except for having the patchbox up against my cheek!
  20. J

    1803 Harpers Ferry - RE Davis Replacemnt Lock

    Virtually all lockplates, at least all good quality ones, were hardened. The question is whether the colors, if there were any, were polished off or not. If they weren't hardened the shank of the tumbler would eventually wear the hole egg-shaped. One of the shortcomings of reproduction locks is...
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