60-cal Lever Matchlock Arquebus - WHO made it & WHEN?

[Flint62Smoothie]

Recent pickup ... had to chance it for < $300 and I bet I can easily make it into a shooter. I also think it would be an ideal one for others to copy. The lock itself, as matchlocks are, is quite simple. Note the square 'pin' or nail to hold the spring into the lock sideplate.

Now I doubt we'll find out WHO made it and WHEN ... but it does have a maker's mark on it.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Very basic 'lever' operated lock ... to me the epitome of sheer simplicity!

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

This matchlock is marked in 3 places ...

1) On the rear of the stock where it looks like a 'K' in the background and another letter offset and on top, slightly to the right. Maybe an 'R'?

2) Inside the lock inlet, with the s/n (which tells me that this is a 'modern' build)

3) On the inside of the lock, also with the s/n

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Here's the barrel. It 'almost' appears as it began life as a 58-cal rifled musket. My reasonings ... heavy/wide breech, slight flats filed at the breech (where the snail could have been ground off, and where the pan is welded on), a patch on a 62-cal (20-gauge) jag won't go down the barrel, but a 58- with heavy patch does, and lastly, the barrel length is 33", of which arms like US CW rifles muskets were.

As such, I think someone took a rifled musket 58-cal barrel and bore/reamed it out to ~60-cal. What say you?

Luckily, I have 1,000s of 0.570" roundballs someone gave me, even if I need to use a thicker patch.

 

[TobJohn]

It has a passing resemblance to this caliver:
Matchlock muzzle-loading arquebus - Or Caliver A military style in use across Europe at this time. - Royal Armouries collections

I believe that stock style and tube sight is fairly typical for the mid-late 16th century?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Here's what TobJohn posted:

Date - 1560

Info - Octagonal barrel with foresight and tubular backsight. A maker's mark is stamped twice on the left of the breech together with another mark these being repeated on the underside. Lock with narrow lockplate stamped with two marks. The mechanism is similar to that of the locks of Nos. XII.6 and 7. Stock with slender shoulder-butt of a style often seen with the larger musket. Bore, barrel length, weight and proportions all mark this as an arquebus or caliver however ('caliver' being simply an arquebus of a certain calibre). A mark is stamped behind the breech-strap, there is a War Department stamp above the lock. The ramrod groove is open for its entire length. A portion of the ramrod with female threaded steel tip remains. Trigger lever restored, several repairs to the stock including most of the toe of the butt.

Picture available for display for non-commercial use only.

 

[TFoley]

Kit.

Modern.

 

[TobJohn]

Did any company produce a kit of this style?
Do muzzleloader replicas need to be serialized to he commercially sold?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Kit.

Modern.

Kit?
Doubtful with the maker’s mark and rough hewn square ‘pin’. There’s no way IMHO the lock is a kit, or … have never seen such an animal. And the maker’s mark in the stock was applied after the stock was painted red.

Modern?
Am guessing 60-70s or earlier build sheerly by the ‘vintage’ of the large dome-head screws. Hard to find those nowadays, but have a few coffee cans full from my Father & Grandfather, that was prevalent on vintage door lock hardware they used to sell in their locksmith store.

 

[hawkeye2]

I agree that the barrel is from a .58 rifle musket. The flats at the breech and the shape of the breech plug pretty much identify it. Those barrels were 40" originally and I suspect this one came from a "Bannermanized" Springfield (one cut into a shotgun post war and bored smooth). I think I see part of the original bolster in your photo of the bottom of the barrel. 33" was the length of a US rifle but the barrel would be much thicker at the muzzle than a 40" barrel shortened to 33".

 

[TobJohn]

Anyone else here would probably know better than me, but I’ve noticed older replicas tend to have the stock cut back (like yours), like a bayonet was anachronistically meant to be fitted. Interesting trend.

 

[Quicksilver]

Interesting find..

 

[DuncNZ]

It always intrigues me that the cross bow ,match lock , and wheel lock all use aperture sights , which disappeared off most flintlocks and caplocks .

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I have two barrels that look like this Flint, but still in percussion. Just got them so they need cleaning up, but same flats at breech end.
Looks like Belgian proofs on one at any rate.
Other one needs looking at real close as its pretty rusty still.
Was thinking matchlock for them!
what style I dunno yet but they would be more shooters than anything real specific!
That serpent on yours looks a bit short legged, Reminds me of a donkey head of an oil rig. Sorry, but couldn't resist!

 

[Jim in San Diego]

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/matchlocks/matchlocks.htm
The rifle shoppe makes matchlock kits.

 

[rickystl]

Hawkeye: LOL !!! "Bannermanized" LOL!!! That struck me as funny. First I've heard that term. But know exactly what you mean. Thanks for the laugh.

Hi Flint: Yes, I would take a chance too at 300. Hopefully, the bore is not too neglected. It sure looks like it would make a decent shooter. Cool find. The markings and stamped number are a mystery to me. I remember Bobby Hoyt use to have a small inventory of cut-down Civil War musket barrels which he could burnish or re-line for sale. Maybe one of those ? In any case, the barrel looks like an original military style re-purposed.

Nice find. Should clean up nice.

Rick

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

In any case, the barrel looks like an original military style re-purposed.

Here's the underside of the pan. The former round drum (indeed from a percussion arm I presume?) appears welded on ... or when the pan was welded to a cut-down drum, then a bead of weld was put around it? Oh if only they could talk ...

 

[tallpine]

That pan set up is pure genius, I wish I had seen this before I built my matchlock. Who ever built this gun was very skilled. You can bet this wasn't his first rodeo. Nice score!

 

[TFoley]

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/matchlocks/matchlocks.htm
The rifle shoppe makes matchlock kits.

Yup.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

The rifle shoppe makes matchlock kits.

Well, I am quite familiar with ‘parts sets’ from TRS, having bought/built a few, but a ‘kit’ they are not. I’d guesstimate them 3-5X HARDER to build than a Chambers or TOW kit.

I look at them this way … TRS parts sets are more akin to a ‘puzzle’ build … in the opposite direction of a Jim Kibler kit, which is more akin to a ‘Lego’ build, LOL!