Flintlock Fowler Restoration

[oneofakind190]

I recently got an old flintlock fowler that needs some work to restore. It's pretty long with a 53" barrel and 70" overall length and has a EIC 1779 lock. The metal parts are pretty rough so I was planning on doing a caustic bath to restore it. I also got a borescope and took some pictures which show a couple grooves and a raised ring which I don't know if it will be a problem for shooting and need to fix. The bottom of the barrel had a protrusion from the flash hole, and would like to know if this would cause problems for seating the round ball. I've seen advice that using a honing tool can help smooth the inside of the barrel and if this should be considered or if it would really hurt the value of the firearm. Any advice for how to fix it up would be great.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Is that lock maker ‘Nock’ the same as the Nock Volley Gun builder?

 

[Sam squanch]

Is that protrusion a vent liner? I can’t even see a vent in your lock photo. I would inspect that barrel well before I would think of shooting it! May just be a wallhanger.

 

[oneofakind190]

the "Nock" is Henry Nock who made a lot of the gun locks of that period

 

[oneofakind190]

Here is a photo of the outside of the lock flash hole

 

[Snooterpup]

I recently got an old flintlock fowler that needs some work to restore. It's pretty long with a 53" barrel and 70" overall length and has a EIC 1779 lock. The metal parts are pretty rough so I was planning on doing a caustic bath to restore it. I also got a borescope and took some pictures which show a couple grooves and a raised ring which I don't know if it will be a problem for shooting and need to fix. The bottom of the barrel had a protrusion from the flash hole, and would like to know if this would cause problems for seating the round ball. I've seen advice that using a honing tool can help smooth the inside of the barrel and if this should be considered or if it would really hurt the value of the firearm. Any advice for how to fix it up would be great.

Very cool gun, doubtful about trying to fire that barrel. The protrusion near the breech looks like an overly long vent liner. Lock looks great. Best of luck!

 

[2 shots]

east india co. marked lock.

 

[oneofakind190]

east india co. marked lock.

I've heard that there are a lot of 1779 marked EIC locks from that time period in the US, possibly from the capture of English EIC ships on the way to India during the Revolutionary War

 

[rich pierce]

Nice original but not for shooting.

 

[S.Kenton]

If you do intend on restoring this, I’d like to see step by step photos if possible. Looks like an interesting project for sure!

 

[rich pierce]

At a minimum the barrel would have to be unbreeched and reamed, possibly 25 thousandths bigger than it is now.

 

[oneofakind190]

At a minimum the barrel would have to be unbreeched and reamed, possibly 25 thousandths bigger than it is now.

Why would that be? Would smoothing out the inside not be enough?

 

[Sam squanch]

I hope that’s a vent liner, I have my doubts. Check the outside of the breech area VERY carefully before you unscrew the breech plug, someone may have put a bolt or screw in the barrel for some reason. Maybe to actually hold the gun together, I’ve seen all sorts of things to hold a gun together for display…..

 

[oneofakind190]

I hope that’s a vent liner, I have my doubts. Check the outside of the breech area VERY carefully before you unscrew the breech plug, someone may have put a bolt or screw in the barrel for some reason. Maybe to actually hold the gun together, I’ve seen all sorts of things to hold a gun together for display…..

It looks like it's just behind the touch hole. I took a picture shining a light into the hole while borescoping. Weird question but is the touch hole always at the very back of the barrel or is there sometimes a gap? Wouldn't this affect the location of the powder and ball which might block the hole?

 

[Rob M.]

I recently got an old flintlock fowler that needs some work to restore. It's pretty long with a 53" barrel and 70" overall length and has a EIC 1779 lock. The metal parts are pretty rough so I was planning on doing a caustic bath to restore it. I also got a borescope and took some pictures which show a couple grooves and a raised ring which I don't know if it will be a problem for shooting and need to fix. The bottom of the barrel had a protrusion from the flash hole, and would like to know if this would cause problems for seating the round ball. I've seen advice that using a honing tool can help smooth the inside of the barrel and if this should be considered or if it would really hurt the value of the firearm. Any advice for how to fix it up would be great.

Very interesting looking gun. I like it ! Take it all apart , unbreech it , check it all out . Nothing complicated ...

 

[54ball]

Is that lock maker ‘Nock’ the same as the Nock Volley Gun builder?

Henry Nock.....
Also, Nock’s Patent Breech.

 

[Eric Bye]

I believe your fine old musket is best left alone and appreciated for the history it has seen. I would not consider it a candidate for shooting. The condition of the bore is one matter, and another is the potentially fragile stock. By all means do not polish off any patina or rust; that would only harm the gun's value. If this fine old gun were mine I would only stabilize it: keep it from deteriorating further by applying a coat of Strike Hold or other good rust preventive (on all metal parts, including inside the barrel), and nourish the wood by rubbing in finger-fulls of boiled linseed oil.
As for removing the breech plug, this can turn into a real headache and risk damaging the plug, tang, or barrel.
In cases like this, less is almost always more.

 

[Eric Krewson]

That looks like a percussion drum to me, just a guess but it could have been converted and converted back to flint.

Where is Mike Brooks when you need him? He would know.

 

[fjrdoc]

I agree with Eric. That was my initial thought. The touch hole looks very large to me.

 

[Relic shooter]

I recently got an old flintlock fowler that needs some work to restore. It's pretty long with a 53" barrel and 70" overall length and has a EIC 1779 lock. The metal parts are pretty rough so I was planning on doing a caustic bath to restore it. I also got a borescope and took some pictures which show a couple grooves and a raised ring which I don't know if it will be a problem for shooting and need to fix. The bottom of the barrel had a protrusion from the flash hole, and would like to know if this would cause problems for seating the round ball. I've seen advice that using a honing tool can help smooth the inside of the barrel and if this should be considered or if it would really hurt the value of the firearm. Any advice for how to fix it up would be great.

I've shot many original flint & percussion firearms for 6+ decades BUT only after a thorough
inspection of the breech, bore & wood to determine they are or can be made safe to shoot..

*If there is a ring/bulge in the barrel it 'don't shoot it', but possibly the barrel can be saved by having a liner installed.
That decision can only be made firsthand by someone qualified like Bobby Hoyt.
Best advice for your safety is get the fowler checked out by someone qualified in shooting original flint & percussion era firearms.
BARREL SHIPPING TIP;
Thick walled PVC pipe with a cap glued on one end & a screw-on cap on the other end works great.
Relic shooter