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French Trade Musket pix - SOON!!!

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Joined
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Email from Michigan; :thumb: :cool:

We are planning to open the case tomorrow and I will take the photographs. I will send as soon as I get back to my office.


Sorry for the delay,



Brian S. J**************
Curator of Collections




Mackinac State Historic Parks
207 West Sinclair Avenue
PO Box 873
Mackinaw City MI 49701
mackinacparks.com

Prepare for pix. I say again, prepare for pix! :ghostly:
 
What's the backstory behind this one?
There was a thread discussing barrel lengths on trade guns. I quoted from a book (and not positive on the exact title before the first cup of coffee) named 'Fur and Trade?' that there were a good percentage of muskets imported with 27" barrels. I lent this book to a cousin & will get it back to post pix and make a count to give %'s of each length. Found that a museum in Michigan had gotten a trade gun recovered from one of the Great Lakes by divers. A gunsmyth of renown in that area had built a duplicate for display at that museum. Someone on this forum vouched for the skill of this builder. I tracked down the curator of the museum and asked him for pix so that I could forward to @Rob M. so that he could use that as a pattern for a trade musket for me. He agreed as it was for a non-commercial use and would inform people of history. Getting the pix was initially delayed due to them not wanting to open the display case during midge season there. I agreed as getting pix for an old phart in Texas was secondary to preservation of the piece. Naturally, the pix would be posted here for others to see and/or duplicate/incorporate into their builds.

Hopefully we can get those pix soon.
 
There was a thread discussing barrel lengths on trade guns. I quoted from a book (and not positive on the exact title before the first cup of coffee) named 'Fur and Trade?' that there were a good percentage of muskets imported with 27" barrels. I lent this book to a cousin & will get it back to post pix and make a count to give %'s of each length. Found that a museum in Michigan had gotten a trade gun recovered from one of the Great Lakes by divers. A gunsmyth of renown in that area had built a duplicate for display at that museum. Someone on this forum vouched for the skill of this builder. I tracked down the curator of the museum and asked him for pix so that I could forward to @Rob M. so that he could use that as a pattern for a trade musket for me. He agreed as it was for a non-commercial use and would inform people of history. Getting the pix was initially delayed due to them not wanting to open the display case during midge season there. I agreed as getting pix for an old phart in Texas was secondary to preservation of the piece. Naturally, the pix would be posted here for others to see and/or duplicate/incorporate into their builds.

Hopefully we can get those pix soon.
Thats sounds amazing bud !! I sure appreciate all your efforts , I was just messin with ya .No hurry . Take care bud :)
 
From: *********@michigan.gov
To: [email protected]

Fri, Nov 3 at 7:03 AM

Yes and I sent you the folder containing them on October 11th… Did you not receive?



************* ****************
Curator of Collections
*************@michigan.gov
231-436-####



Mackinac State Historic Parks
207 West Sinclair Avenue
PO Box 873
Mackinaw City MI 49701
mackinacparks.com
 
From: *********@michigan.gov
To: [email protected]

Fri, Nov 3 at 7:03 AM

Yes and I sent you the folder containing them on October 11th… Did you not receive?



************* ****************
Curator of Collections
*************@michigan.gov
231-436-####



Mackinac State Historic Parks
207 West Sinclair Avenue
PO Box 873
Mackinaw City MI 49701
mackinacparks.com
AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! :doh:


Told him that I didn't get it and asked him to resend....
 
To: [email protected]
Fri, Nov 3 at 12:56 PM

I sent the folder again this morning. If you have not received by Monday, let me know and I will have to mail a thumb drive to you with the images. Unfortunately our state computers are not allowed to use Dropbox or other sharing platforms.



Sorry for the inconvenience,



********************
Curator of Collections
***************@michigan.gov
231-436-4100
 
From: wganz
To: ****************** (DNR)
Mon, Nov 6 at 5:01 PM

I am sorry that my request has caused you such inconvenience.

My mailing address is:

WGanz
TX


Thank you again for getting these pix to me.

Regards,




On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 10:34:35 AM CST, ************** (DNR) <**************@michigan.gov> wrote:

I am checking to see if the E-Mail with the folder arrived? If not, please send me your mailing address and I will send the images on a thumb drive.

Thanks,


***************************
Curator of Collections
***********************
231-436-####



Mackinac State Historic Parks
207 West Sinclair Avenue
PO Box 873
Mackinaw City MI 49701

mackinacparks.com
 
27 inch barrels are a very odd length for trade guns, be very cautious about your reference material. Just because it's printed doesn't always make it true.
I have seen original documents listing English trade gun ship ments with 2 foot barrels if your looking to document short barrels.
English trade gun barrel lengths were measured to the foot and half foot. I have found that they ended up with in an inch or two of variation by the time they were delivered. For instance I have seen four foot guns with barrels 46 to 50 inches long.
 
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