Colonial fowler from modern Belgian flintlock Take 2

[Tumbledown]

Some of you will recall my post back in January where I reworked a more modern flintlock to represent a Colonial trade gun. That post is HERE for reference.

Since then, I realized I could have done more to improve the appearance. So I stripped it down, thinned the forestock, and gave a better profile to the sides by the lock. I also rounded the LH plate's edges and shimmed it out. I added a little detail to dress the trigger guard up a tad. The finish is Fiebring's leather dye, 3 pts saddle tan to 1 pt oxblood, sealed with Danish oil and Renaissance Wax.

And I just so happened to find a repro plug bayonet at an antique shop (marked as a homemade knife!)

Is it perfect? No, far from it. Does it look like a serviceable gun put together by a rural gunsmith? I think so. Moreso than before.

 

[Clark Badgett]

So “rural gunsmith” is code for bad inletting now?

 

[Mowich]

Not a rural gunsmith but what it is an imported Belgium musket. It looks good> I would pack some bee's wax around some of the gaps.
Did you replace the ramrod pipes ? Does it Spark?

 

[Tumbledown]

Not a rural gunsmith but what it is an imported Belgium musket. It looks good> I would pack some bee's wax around some of the gaps.
Did you replace the ramrod pipes ? Does it Spark?

Belgium made a lot of flintlocks for late 19th to early 20th century European colonies in the Congo and S America as the locals were prohibited from owning modern guns. This one is a bit puzzling, though, as it also has British proof marks.

The ramrod pipes are original, and I've seen similar on colonial American guns. It does spark, but I haven't yet shot it.