All one know what I have ?

[ric0shay]

Hello all.Im new here and was drawn to your site while researching about what weapon I have.I got it from my father and he got it from his grandfather ,who found it in a tatched roof of a house.The proof marks are a crown over "v" DM and a crown over something else I cant make out and LONDON.Its also stamped wa 1145 and again on the butt plate but I have my suspision that these are not original.I found this topic on this site and its a very simalr weapon.Any help would be great .

Thanks

 

[flintriflesmith]

The gun is a blunderbuss--also called a coach gun-- basicly a sawed off shotgun for either defending (such as protecting a coach against highwaymen) or attaching (such as arming a boarding party on a ship).
The style of the missing sideplate and buttplate are very similar to British military arms of the late 18th century. The marks on the barrel are proofmarks and if you can do really good close ups of them it might narrow down the date a bit.
Since there is the nicely engraved London on the barrel indicates that it is probably a civilian arm made in the military style. The WA1145 could be a collection number or rack number.

 

[ric0shay]

Thanks for the reply and the great infomation.Iv been toold on other fourms that the marks are : A crown over "v" which is a view mark. A crown over "CP" they could not tell me what this was and the letters "DM" they could not tell me anything about these either.Im not at home for a few days but ill get some pictures as soon as I can

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

They are London Proof Marks. They guessed correctly the the "Crowned V" is the View Mark (1st proof as an unfinished but breached barrel) in use at the London Proof House since 1670 and what is being seen as a Crowned "CP" is actually Crown over "GP" standing for "Gunmakers' Proof", the definitive proof mark, showing that the barrel has passed the final proof there as a finished barrel. This mark has been in use at the London Proof House since 1630.

 

[ric0shay]

Thanks for the info.Would anyone be able to take a guess at how old you think it is ?

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

My guess would be either late 18th or very early 19th Century.

 

[TFoley]

Thanks for the info.Would anyone be able to take a guess at how old you think it is ?

1750 - 1800 or so.

tac from the other boards.

 

[TFoley]

The WA1145 could be a collection number or rack number.

Told ya.

tac

 

[vtbuck223]

This is not likely to be a military piece as has already been pointed out due to the lack of Brisith ordnance marks. However, the sideplate looks very similar to the first model Bess. I would like to see more pictures of the trigger guard, the mortise, the forend. Also...are there any marks at all on the underside of the barrel? Am I seeing a hole in the forend of the stock which may have been for a sling swivel? So far...based on what I can see...I think it's old... maybe 1740-1780...but more pics would help.

 

[ric0shay]

Thanks again for all the info.i found out what the wa1145 is a registration mark for waterford under the weapons registration laws which were introduced after Robert Emits rebellion. The council held the registry and it was W for Wicklow etc.. followed by number I think WA is Waterford.

Im based in Waterford Ireland.
There are no marks on the underside of the barrel.

ill get more pictures as soon as I get a chance.

 

[Owen]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/969881/


Have a look at this ... could be brothers