French Fusil FIN

[JOHN ZUREKI]

Getting back to the French Fusil kit from Davis, I have a question concerning the trigger guard. I have Bouchard's book and the Hamilton book is on the way. In the meantime, can someone tell me if the trigger guard is inlet into the stock. It sure appears to me that it is not inlet, but rather rests on the stock. I can get no help from Bouchard on this and would like to proceed until I get Hamilton's book. Any help in this regard would be appreciated.

 

[Trapper]

In all the pics or plans I have seen or used, if the trigger guard is held on with screws then it is not inletted but if it is pinned then I would inlet the trigger guard. Just my two cents worth.
Trapper

 

Fusil Fin triggerguards were inlet and also had molding carved around the guard tangs front and back.They were pinned in place.

 

[tg]

That is probably a pretty good rule of thumb as most I have seen pics of that had fancy engraved furniture they were pinned, I assumed it was to avoid the screw in the engraving, while the plainer guns often had screws holding the guards.

 

[Okwaho]

Fusil Fin triggerguards were inlet and also had molding carved around the guard tangs front and back.They were pinned in place.

I think that's generally a pretty accurate statement although I believe there are some iron mounted fusils which are a cut above the norm and were Chief's guns.The problem with the iron mounted Pied de vache Fusils de chasse is that there are very few which have not been restocked during their period of use so it's very difficult to draw conclusions on their stocks.As to the Fusils fin mounted in brass there aren't that many so it's hard to draw as many conclusions as we would like on them either.The gun in question from R E Davis was one of at least three Fusils fin in wreck condition that Jerry Gutchess acquired over the years.One was copied and I believe Mrs. Gutchess may have both the original and the copy still.I have one of the others and I believe a third may have been the one copied for the kit now being sold.The one I have is very close to the kit and I compared it side by side with the kit gun. They are like two peas in a pod but herein lies the problem.I have two Fusils fin one of which was either a Chief's gun or a very fine Bourgeoisie gun.Both of these guns seem to have come out of the same shop or from a master and apprentice or as a result of some other relationship.Both guns were missing the original lock plates which might have indicated the maker. Additionally based on my research and three other guns,one of which I also own,I am convinced that these two guns along with the third one were made in[url] Liege.In[/url] fact I am beginning to believe that many of the Fusils fin{the so called Types C and D} were not made in France but were actually made in Liege or Holland and sold to French merchants for reshipment to America.Wallace Gusler looked at one of my guns {Ca. 1716-1725}and remarked that the engraving on the butt piece tang looked Dutch.All three guns are baroque in feeling both as to engraving and carving.

Cooner is correct as to the molding around the guard and the inletting of the pinned guards but all three of my guns have carving. This consists of lobate leaves carved in low relief adjacent to the rear pipe end and the front finial of the guard, acanthus leaves carved in higher relief behind the barrel tang, and on the later two guns incised carving on either side of the wrist in front of the comb. The earlier{Ca. 1690's} gun has the same carving but in higher relief and very florid in feel. All three guns have engraving and carving in the Baroque manner.

As I said before concerning the gun used in making the kit, I don't know what the old gun looked like but I wouldn't be surprised if it were from Liege unless a signature proved otherwise.As to the possible Liegeoise and Dutch origins of these brass mounted Fusils fin I am espousing a theory and hope someone will prove me right or wrong so we will then know more about these guns.
Tom Patton

 

[JOHN ZUREKI]

Thank you Cooner54, and everyone else for the direction. The trigger gaurd is almost a foot long and with the bend it was quite a chore to inlet and get it right. I knew it was to be pinned but I was hoping for a reprieve on the inlet job. As it turns out, the gaurd is not inlet that deep. Thanks again to all.