correct wood for an english pistol?

[oldarmy]

I just received a new catalog from Muzzleloading builder's supply.

They offer a couple of English Draggon pistol kits that look interesting.
My question is. they offer a maple stock or a walnut stock.
Can I assume that the walnut stock would be what they were oringianly made out of?
I can't belive the British would have used maple to build these out of
Thanks

 

[Swampman]

I think English Walnut would be the most correct.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Always euro walnut on 18th century english military guns , the only other option being beech, and that at a small percentage.

 

[oldarmy]

They don't offer Euorpean walnut.. At least I don't think it is.
When I decide to buy the kit I will ask, but I will defentily go with walnut.
Thanks

 

[Mike Brooks]

Supply your own piece of euro walnut for them to cut the pistol out of. It might take six weeks or so longer, but it might be worth it.
say, what lock is she using for that gun?

 

[oldarmy]

She is suggesting a
chambers small Queen Anne.
Where would I find a european walnut blank?

 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd call Wayne Dunlap for the blank.

 

[WRussell]

I know nothing about English Dragoon pistols, but in general maple (so I've read) was used quite a bit by English gunmakers. It was one of the things they imported from the colonies.

 

[Colonial Boy]

I've only ever seen one gun that was of English manufacture that was stocked in American maple and that was an American style of percussion rifle and appeared to be intended for export to the USA. Just how it ended up in Australia is anybody's guess.
Never seen anything but walnut on British military M/L pistols.

 

[robinghewitt]

I can't belive the British would have used maple to build these out of

Neither can I :rotf:

 

[Mike Brooks]

I know nothing about English Dragoon pistols, but in general maple (so I've read) was used quite a bit by English gunmakers.

That's news to me. :shocked2: there were a few double guns built in birds eye maple and a very few in curly maple in the 1815 to 1825 era, but that's all I've ever seen, and they are VERY rare.

 

[flintriflesmith]

I know nothing about English Dragoon pistols, but in general maple (so I've read) was used quite a bit by English gunmakers.

That's news to me. :shocked2: there were a few double guns built in birds eye maple and a very few in curly maple in the 1815 to 1825 era, but that's all I've ever seen, and they are VERY rare.

I have seen several top of the line English pistols with burl (not curly) maple stocks. They had one in the CWF gunshop for a number of years. It had relief chiseled steel mounts and was signed Bishop if my memory is correct.

Gary

 

[Mike Brooks]

I know nothing about English Dragoon pistols, but in general maple (so I've read) was used quite a bit by English gunmakers.

That's news to me. :shocked2: there were a few double guns built in birds eye maple and a very few in curly maple in the 1815 to 1825 era, but that's all I've ever seen, and they are VERY rare.

I have seen several top of the line English pistols with burl (not curly) maple stocks. They had one in the CWF gunshop for a number of years. It had relief chiseled steel mounts and was signed Bishop if my memory is correct.

Gary

Yes, I've seen danish, french, and german also with burl maple stocks. These were built for high end customers, most likely the nobility, and they are and where quite rare..

 

[Pittsburghunter]

I know nothing of the stock material used in the periods between 1650-1800 but I can tell you that most of the "masting" wood was ripped out of New England before the Revolutionary war. Why would they not have taken tons of stock material?

I would be very surprized if there were not many guns built with lumber from the colonies.

Just saying....

 

[WRussell]

'Tis true though, that perusing the ads of the folks who sell English flinters, those stocked with maple are few and far between. I expect it was a "novelty" item as long as walnut was available.

Do you want your dragoon to be plain or novel?? OK, for a military gun, unique :grin:

 

[oldarmy]

It's a gift my son.
I would prefer to be close to what an oringinal would like.
I looked at Dunlap and an english/euro walnut blank is only 10 to 20 dollars. If MLBS can shape it for a reasonable price. I think I would go with the euro walnut.
I need to find out what he wants to do.
I suggested
Heavy dragoon
walnut, german silver furniture, 20 gage smooth bore.
polished and left armory bright

 

[Mike Brooks]

German silver is out in my opinion. Brass is what they were mouted in.

 

[oldarmy]

Mike
I respect you oppinion, and if I am going to the trouble of ordering and having the correct wood put on it, I will surely put the correct furniture on her. brass
I do have a question thought,
Why do they offer it and make it seem like it was put on officers models and other higher "class" pistols.
Just make a few bucks???

 

[Mike Brooks]

Mike
I respect you oppinion, and if I am going to the trouble of ordering and having the correct wood put on it, I will surely put the correct furniture on her. brass
I do have a question thought,
Why do they offer it and make it seem like it was put on officers models and other higher "class" pistols.
Just make a few bucks???

Because they want to sell pistols to those that don't know any better. German silver wasn't used in this time period anyway, sterling or coin silver is what was used, and not on this style of pistol ever.
Officers commisioned their own pistols from private makers, and they may or may not have been made from brass, silver or iron. Just depends how much the fellow wnated to pu into a pistol.

 

[Zonie]

I think the reason the German Silver is offered is because it does a fair job of looking like the real silver some of the fancy guns were mounted with.

The German Silver Susie is offering with her pistols doesn't cost any more than Brass in the 2006 MLB catalog.

The only thing wrong with it is German Silver wasn't invented until the 1800s and it doesn't tarnish and turn black like Sterling Silver does.

If your into PC or HC then go with brass.
If the people seeing and using the gun are not going to run a metallurgical analysis on the gun to varify it is Historically Correct, and they like the silver color (and don't like to polish the tarnish off of it) then consider German Silver.