Dutch Trade Guns

[sundog]

My family roots include early Dutch traders. I would like to build a Dutch Trade Gun with my daughter and bring history to life for her. She is 9 and really did a respectable job with a Lyman Great Plains kit so I think between the 2 of us we can work on a more advanced project.
I would apreciate any suggestions on a kit or assembly of parts that would aproximate a Dutch trade gun. The family did extensive tradeing with the Iroquois.
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[hawkeye1755]

Try The Rifle Shoppe.
Link

Here are some pics from nice 17th century Dutch flintlock-rifle by COSTER UTRECHT.

one more

:hatsoff:

 

[Adam Isrow]

That is a truly beautiful gun!
Please excuse my ignorance, but wasn't the flintlock invented in the 18th century? Wouldn't an early trade gun have some other kind of lock? like a dog lock or something?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The true flintlock came into being sometime between 1615 and 1630.

 

[sundog]

Thank You !

 

[Adam Isrow]

Thanks for the info. I have much to learn, it seems.
I was just looking at that gun again this morning, and man is it pretty!

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Hey Undertaker do you have any specs on the gun? Like what bore or caliber it is? A beautiful piece in excellent photographs showing fine detail. Thanks for posting.

 

[rich pierce]

Sundog, tell me more about your family and roots. I have the Mohawk Valley Wemples in my ancestry- any connections?

 

[paulvallandigham]

The flintlock came into being while the Wheellock was still stuggling to gain acceptance. The wheellock proved to be too expensive, and was supplanted by the flintlock because of the cost, simplicity of repair, and the need to arm soldiers with a gun that didn't require as much care and maintenance as a Wheellock does.

The flintlock had a 200 year reign as the ignition system of choice, so far, the longest reign of any such system. Some argue that it has never stopped since flintlocks continued to be made right through the percussion and cartridge periods, and, of course, are still being made today. That means we are only about a decade short of its 400 year anniversary.

 

[rich pierce]

Here are some pics from nice 17th century Dutch flintlock-rifle by COSTER UTRECHT.

Question- are these really rifles? One of them has an octagon to round barrel and neither has a rear sight. Fine looking guns. The lower one has a broad notch in an elevated breechplug/tang but that is not really suitable for fine shooting with a rifle and offers no adjustment.

 

[hawkeye1755]

Question- are these really rifles? One of them has an octagon to round barrel and neither has a rear sight. Fine looking guns. The lower one has a broad notch in an elevated breechplug/tang but that is not really suitable for fine shooting with a rifle and offers no adjustment.

Good question.Shame on me, i don't know.I send them an email and ask for more information.
:hatsoff:

 

[hawkeye1755]

Question- are these really rifles?.

Just get the email from Ton Bolk.They are smoothbores.No rifles.Cal.17mm or cal.67
:hatsoff:

 

[rich pierce]

I really appreciate the pictures and information. Thanks again!

 

[tg]

"Just get the email from Ton Bolk.They are smoothbores.No rifles.Cal.17mm or cal.67"

well IF the builder had a rifleing jig they COULD have been made with rifled barrels and IF he knew of Galilio he could have put a "scope" on it...... kidding aside some nice pics you come up with my friend.

 

[Teleoceras]

Sundog:

If you are interested, you can also contact Leonard Day about one of his mid-1600's Dutch arms. It is one of the few arms that he makes on a semi-production basis. You could ask him about a kit version of the gun as I have seen both a kit version and finshed versions of this particuler type.

FYI, they are .62 smoothbores.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras