FLINTLOCK FOWLERS, the First Guns Made in America,

[JackP]

I'm going to start getting parts to build my first fowler. I have Dave Person's dimensions which is going to be a great help but I want to read and look at lots of photos before I begin, to find exactly what I like . Do any of you have the book,FLINTLOCK FOWLERS,
the First Guns Made in America,and if so would it be good for information?
Any recommendation or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jack

 

[Coot]

It is an excellent book by Tom Grinslade. Hard to find better pictures - a mix of black & white & color with lots of close ups showing detail. I went over this book at some length with the gunsmith who made my fowling piece. You will like it.

 

[rich pierce]

Great book to have and at a reasonable price, too. Plenty of inspiration in there.

 

[Feltwad]

Correct me if I am wrong but the early flint locks to me have a large continental influence were they built from imported parts or by German or Belgium immigrating gun makers .
Feltwad

 

[Grenadier1758]

Feltwad, I think you are correct. The influence of the continental gun builders is apparent in these early fowling guns.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Feltwad,
There were plenty of gunsmiths in colonial America, which included those descending from British, Dutch, French Huguenots, and German roots. They mostly used imported parts. The British government discouraged value added industry in colonial America. We were supposed to supply Britain with raw materials, which they would turn into finished products that were sold back to the colonies. It was mercantilism pure and simple. Consequently, gunsmiths in colonial America mostly imported barrels, locks, and hardware from England and later, the German principalities, Belgium, Netherlands, and France. The earliest influences on gun makers in British America were from Britain, the Netherlands and France. However, when the Penns started colonizing their proprietary lands in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware during the early 1700s, they brought over German immigrants who not only influenced gun making but introduced rifles and rifle making. The Penns shuttled their Germans through Philadelphia and out to the frontier to create an industrious population that would act as a buffer between the more populous coastal area and the native American tribes. So in colonial America, you have a blending of British, French, Dutch, Belgian, and German gun traditions. British influence was strong near any of the big coastal towns which were centers for imports, and most imports were from England. New Englanders had considerable contact, in war and peace, with New France and gun makers there show British and French influences. Gun makers in the mid-Atlantic states often show British, Dutch, and German influences. In the south, British influence dominated the more populated coastal area but German immigrants migrated down the famous "wagon road" that connected Lancaster PA with western North Carolina, and brought their gun making influence to the southern back country. Within this melting pot of European diversity, the distinct American long rifle evolved. Ironically, there is some evidence that evolution was driven by input and demands from native Americans not European colonials.

dave

 

[JackP]

Thanks Coot, I appreciate

Hi Feltwad,
There were plenty of gunsmiths in colonial America, which included those descending from British, Dutch, French Huguenots, and German roots. They mostly used imported parts. The British government discouraged value added industry in colonial America. We were supposed to supply Britain with raw materials, which they would turn into finished products that were sold back to the colonies. It was mercantilism pure and simple. Consequently, gunsmiths in colonial America mostly imported barrels, locks, and hardware from England and later, the German principalities, Belgium, Netherlands, and France. The earliest influences on gun makers in British America were from Britain, the Netherlands and France. However, when the Penns started colonizing their proprietary lands in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware during the early 1700s, they brought over German immigrants who not only influenced gun making but introduced rifles and rifle making. The Penns shuttled their Germans through Philadelphia and out to the frontier to create an industrious population that would act as a buffer between the more populous coastal area and the native American tribes. So in colonial America, you have a blending of British, French, Dutch, Belgian, and German gun traditions. British influence was strong near any of the big coastal towns which were centers for imports, and most imports were from England. New Englanders had considerable contact, in war and peace, with New France and gun makers there show British and French influences. Gun makers in the mid-Atlantic states often show British, Dutch, and German influences. In the south, British influence dominated the more populated coastal area but German immigrants migrated down the famous "wagon road" that connected Lancaster PA with western North Carolina, and brought their gun making influence to the southern back country. Within this melting pot of European diversity, the distinct American long rifle evolved. Ironically, there is some evidence that evolution was driven by input and demands from native Americans not European colonials.

dave

Thanks for that history lesson Dave, that is very interesting and I for one would like to know more.

Jack

 

[Darkgael]

When I asked Mike Brooks to build a Fowler for me, I used Grinslade as a reference. Mike built the gun exactly like the picture and according to the description and my measurements.
New England Fowler #9.
A great book to have in your firearms library.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Excellent history lesson, Dave. Much I hadn't heard before.

 

[Feltwad]

Hi Feltwad,
There were plenty of gunsmiths in colonial America, which included those descending from British, Dutch, French Huguenots, and German roots. They mostly used imported parts. The British government discouraged value added industry in colonial America. We were supposed to supply Britain with raw materials, which they would turn into finished products that were sold back to the colonies. It was mercantilism pure and simple. Consequently, gunsmiths in colonial America mostly imported barrels, locks, and hardware from England and later, the German principalities, Belgium, Netherlands, and France. The earliest influences on gun makers in British America were from Britain, the Netherlands and France. However, when the Penns started colonizing their proprietary lands in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware during the early 1700s, they brought over German immigrants who not only influenced gun making but introduced rifles and rifle making. The Penns shuttled their Germans through Philadelphia and out to the frontier to create an industrious population that would act as a buffer between the more populous coastal area and the native American tribes. So in colonial America, you have a blending of British, French, Dutch, Belgian, and German gun traditions. British influence was strong near any of the big coastal towns which were centers for imports, and most imports were from England. New Englanders had considerable contact, in war and peace, with New France and gun makers there show British and French influences. Gun makers in the mid-Atlantic states often show British, Dutch, and German influences. In the south, British influence dominated the more populated coastal area but German immigrants migrated down the famous "wagon road" that connected Lancaster PA with western North Carolina, and brought their gun making influence to the southern back country. Within this melting pot of European diversity, the distinct American long rifle evolved. Ironically, there is some evidence that evolution was driven by input and demands from native Americans not European colonials.

dave

Sir thank you for the information I have worked on guns that were of continental influence which I did see the similarity to the guns in the thread . It seems that this type of decoration was common in Continental countries which included the guns from Tula
Feltwad

 

[adkmountainken]

great book i too used it and Roy Stroh built me a Club Butt Fowler according to picture and dimensions in that book. if yiu would like to borrow mine for awhile and return it you are welcome to it.

 

[JackP]

Thanks adkmountainken, but I'd like to own the book as I might use it several times over the next few years.

Thanks again
Jack

 

[adkmountainken]

cant blame you there i reference it time and time again!

 

[JackP]

adkmountainken, that was a very kind offer, just goes to show that gun folks are the best people in the world.

thanks
Jack

 

[Grenadier1758]

"Flintlock Fowlers" by Grinslade is a great book that I heartily endorse anyone thinking of a fowling gun should buy. Its got a lot of information and the price is reasonable.

"Flintlocks" by Eric Bye is also a good book to get. This one addresses the Flintlock in general and has information on the care and use. It too is affordable.

 

[FlinterNick]

I've always been perplexed by the use of the term 'Fowler' in colonial America. So many guns are often referred to as Trade Guns, Fusils, and Fowlers the terms are almost often used interchangeably; how can it be determined which came first? with so subtle differences between them. For example a Trade gun often lower in costs will omit an entry pipe and will have lesser quality wood to metal fittings around the butt, and trigger guard with a stock profile very similar to that of a fowler. While a Fusil, very much a fowler turned into a military arm or sometimes referred to a fusil due to its light weight (7 lbs or less).

 

[Coot]

As I understand things, a "trade gun" is an inexpensive smoothbore generally with sheet brass trigger guard & buttplate, the buttplate generally nailed on - an entry level gun made to sell or trade for as little as possible. Often in smaller bore sizes to be more economical of powder. A "fusil" is a military officers scaled down & much lightened musket, often smaller bore than an issue musket (perhaps pistol size bore?). A well made weapon for private purchase by officers (or anyone else that could afford it). "Fowler", in the parlance of the period, more correctly refers to the person hunting birds, while a "fowling piece" is a civilian smoothbore, made in a range of quality/cost from somewhat better than a trade gun with cast brass furniture & plain wood, up to silver mounts & highly figured wood. The "fowling piece" lacks the military features of the fusil - such as sling swivels and provisions to fix a bayonet.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
A trade gun was a gun simply built for commercial trade in places like North America, Africa, and India. They had many forms and styles. Many were cheaply but sturdily made and others of higher, sometimes much higher quality. The major suppliers tended to converge on a style that was familiar and popular with their customers, and we've come to think of those as the definitive "trade gun" look. There was a lot of variation, particularly during the 18th century that we tend to overlook. In English context, the term fusil is derived from the French word for gun. It is first used to designate flintlock firearms used by "fusiliers" during the 1690s, which were units whose mission was to guard artillery. The flintlocks were safer around the powder for cannons compared with the standard infantry matchlock muskets that required burning match cords. Later, it came to mean arms often carried by officers and noncoms. It is often used interchangeably with "carbine" but unlike carbine, it was not technically and formally associated with reduced bore or size. Fusils could be more or less full sized muskets carried by a sergeant or muskets issued to fusiliers (Royal Welsh fusiliers for example). An officers' fusil was simply a gun (fusil) carried by an officer. It could be privately made or purchased through ordnance and be smaller, lighter and carbine bore, but those traits are not strictly implied by "fusil". There were only 2 major designations for military long arms, muskets and carbines. Both implied size and bore.

dave

 

[spudnut]

Hi,
A trade gun was a gun simply built for commercial trade in places like North America, Africa, and India. They had many forms and styles. Many were cheaply but sturdily made and others of higher, sometimes much higher quality. The major suppliers tended to converge on a style that was familiar and popular with their customers, and we've come to think of those as the definitive "trade gun" look. There was a lot of variation, particularly during the 18th century that we tend to overlook. In English context, the term fusil is derived from the French word for gun. It is first used to designate flintlock firearms used by "fusiliers" during the 1690s, which were units whose mission was to guard artillery. The flintlocks were safer around the powder for cannons compared with the standard infantry matchlock muskets that required burning match cords. Later, it came to mean arms often carried by officers and noncoms. It is often used interchangeably with "carbine" but unlike carbine, it was not technically and formally associated with reduced bore or size. Fusils could be more or less full sized muskets carried by a sergeant or muskets issued to fusiliers (Royal Welsh fusiliers for example). An officers' fusil was simply a gun (fusil) carried by an officer. It could be privately made or purchased through ordnance and be smaller, lighter and carbine bore, but those traits are not strictly implied by "fusil". There were only 2 major designations for military long arms, muskets and carbines. Both implied size and bore.

dave

Where does " fuke" come in? Just a bastardized word for fusil?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Where does " fuke" come in? Just a bastardized word for fusil?

Yes, fuke is a bastardized word for fusil. By the similar account fusee is the phonetic spelling of the French pronunciation of fusil.