Coach Gun

[Feltwad]

It was not only the blunderbuss that was carried on the English Horse drawn coaches enclosed are image of another type of coach gun
Feltwad

Gun dismantled so it can be hidden beneath the drivers seat or in the coach and used by a gentleman passenger

 

[Euan]

Now that is an early folding stock! Impressed.

 

[Feltwad]

Now that is an early folding stock! Impressed.

Correct it is an early type of folding stock ,has this gun totally dismantles notice the metal band on the Damascus barrel this is how the barrel un screws in two parts a very rare piece.
Feltwad

 

[azmntman]

Looks like it was made to smuggle on aircraft, after all they didnt have TSA established back then :rotf:

Thats pretty cool. What caliber is it? Have you fired it?

 

[Grenadier1758]

I was wondering what the purpose of the band on the barrel was for. That long barrel sort of seemed at odds against the folded breech and stock.

 

[Feltwad]

Looks like it was made to smuggle on aircraft, after all they didnt have TSA established back then :rotf:

Thats pretty cool. What caliber is it? Have you fired it?

It is a 12 bore true cylinder of approximately the 1830,s no I have not fired it although the bore looks good now more of a collectors piece .
Feltwad

 

[stubshaft]

Neat looking gun Feltwad. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DickS]

With that fitting on the end of the abbreviated forend, do you suppose that there was a detachable forend extension?
I wonder if a short ramrod was used - unscrew the outer barrel, load, reassemble.
Do you think that the gun was made in that configuration originally, or was it modified by a gunsmith?
Very interesting piece!

 

[Feltwad]

With that fitting on the end of the abbreviated forend, do you suppose that there was a detachable forend extension?
I wonder if a short ramrod was used - unscrew the outer barrel, load, reassemble.
Do you think that the gun was made in that configuration originally, or was it modified by a gunsmith?
Very interesting piece!

That what you see on the forend is a spring loaded hook which sercure the barrel to the stock. The gun is in its original state and has not been altered ,it never was full stocked see image on the fastener ,
Feltwad

 

[Redstick Lee]

beautiful !!
and unusual.....

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[nhmoose]

Neat gun Thanks for the look!

 

[George]

Gun dismantled so it can be hidden beneath the drivers seat or in the coach and used by a gentleman passenger

But the gentleman passenger, or someone, had to be willing to use it. :haha:

THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE
February 27, 1752
London
"One Day last Week, as three Gentlemen with one Servant, in two Post-Chaises, were travelling between Hockley and Brickhill, in the High Road to Chester, (arm'd with a Brace of Pistols in the first Chaise, and another Brace with a Gun in the second) they were attack'd near the Sand. House by a single Highwayman, who immediately ordered the Gentlemen to throw their Arms out of the Chaises, which they very submissively comply'd with; he then robbed them of three Gold chas'd Watches, a portmanteau and Money, to the Value of near 300 l. After he was loaded with the Booty and going off, he offered to restore the Portmanteau, if they could muster amongst them Ten Guineas, whereupon they assured him he had all their Money, but that one of them had a Diamond Ring That he would give him if would return the Portmanteau, which the Highwayman looked at, and admired so much, that he made free with it also, and kept the Portmanteau, and made off.”” so we find that Guns, Pistols, &c. are more for Ornament than Use.

Spence

 

[Stumpkiller]

Interesting. I've seen such things listed a "poachers' guns" as, presumably, they could be smuggled in or hidden.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Feltwad,

It is indeed an unusual arm!
I keep looking at it, and have held off commenting up to now, because I am wondering if it Is a coach gun? ....The barrel is much longer than most coaching carbines, and also it is much later than the hey-day of such guns.
It reminds me of the type that were sometimes taken on expeditions, where room was short, and the gun not used every day, some were labelled for specimen collection, and went to Africa & India.
The back action lock I would have put later than 1830's, more like 1840's to 50's.
I am not trying to pick on this very interesting gun, but usually coaching carbines are made short enough that they could be carried in a cramped coach or carriage, and be instantly used without assembly.

Thank you for showing it to us Feltwad, it is very kind of you.

Best regards,
Richard.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Spence,

In the later 1800's my Gt G-father was the target of more modern day highway-men;

They used to ambush people traveling alone over the Yorkshire moors.
He always carried a Webley revolver under the seat, but when 2 men sprang out it was his buggy whip he plied upon them, hitting the one across the face as he attempted to take the horses head, and the one that attempted to take the reins got the butt end across the head, knocking him down, and then ran over him as he made good his escape.
They arrived home at the farm, hot and sweating, both him and the horse!
He said he never even Though about the revolver!

PLease pardon the somewhat Off Topic!

 

[George]

Yes, I've collected several contemporary reports of encounters with highwaymen in England. Some are quite remarkable, and not all the highwaymen survived the event.

Spence

 

[Feltwad]

Richard

This type of gun may have been used for different things but my research has revelled that the gun in particular was used has a coach gun. Some people classed it has a poachers gun just has the later walking stick gun but that is far from the truth because what poacher could afford a gun of that principle he relied more on his half breed lurcher to put rabbits etc on the table and sell a few in the pub for beer money. Poaching in those days was a risky business ,I have records of poaching in your old abode where poachers convicted were deported to the colonies
Enclosed is another image of a flintlock conversion that was used has a coach gun .
Feltwad
Flintlock Conversion

 

[thomas]

:hatsoff: Nice guns, Thanks for letting us see them.