Fusil de Chasse, at last!!!

[oreclan]

You mean it’s not a hunting gun???

Yes. Look at the furniture and round faced flintlock. These are pictured as French muskets.
Of course they can be used by civilians for hunting.

 

[pipascus]

Yes, Jersey has a reputation for being nasty and obnoxious when you piss them off.

OK.
Good.
I grew up a bit in NY and had an aunt in New Jersey. Vague memories.
But realizing the the misunderstanding had me laughing so hard I was in tears.

Thanks man!

 

[pipascus]

Yes and right away because that is just as dangerous or more so than a safety that doesn't work on a modern arm.

At reenactments, If a firearm can't hang its own weight while in half cock without dropping the cock, it can't be used. As part of the inspection you have to put the musket, fowler, or rifle in half-cock and then hold it off the ground hanging by the trigger on only your index finger without the cock releasing. It's part of the safety inspection each day of the reenactment

Literally just communicated with the Muzzleloader Shop and they said to send the lock back and they will fix it.

 

[tenngun]

I was told the stock on my gun is Rosewood. I guess that's a hardwood also.
That being said, I will still thin it down. It's just too "fat" right now.
I've seen examples of others having done it, and they look good.

I’ve thinned mine sans problem. It’s a .76. It handles 140 grains of 2f with out a problem, but shoot 110
And the lock throws a ton of sparks
I’ve had Davis, L and R and Chambers locks and never had one that sparked better

 

[Clark Badgett]

And I wish Clark Badgett would see that, and contribute his knowledge to help. "It's not a FDC and never will be, but here's what you can do to make it look good anyway-maybe like some offshoot musket."

Clark Badgett, your knowledge would be greatly appreciated in helping me, and others, turn these flintlocks into at least guns that would look the part in the background, without too close inspection.

Man, I would really like to help you, but to be honest you would most likely have to replace every part to get it somewhat correct depending on what you wished to accomplish.

If you want it to be an FDC, which is what you had in mind when you bought what you have, you won’t get there from where you are at currently.

If you want it to be some form of early French musket. Then you are going to figure out how to lessen the curvature of the butt. French guns really weren’t as curvy as many reproduction offerings offer them, and the progressively got straighter the closer they got to the F&I timeframe.

First thing you need to do is see if you can make that lock look French, which were very graceful and artistic looking even when cheaply made. After that you will need to address that 1766 Cavalry carbine style side plate.

 

[pipascus]

Do yourself a favor and buy some Force 44 solder from Brownell's. It melts with a propane torch and I never have had a sight come off when using it. here's a thought call it a New England fowler. The same basic stock shape, but made with whatever parts were available.

Two great suggestions!
Thank you!

 

[pipascus]

Man, I would really like to help you, but to be honest you would most likely have to replace every part to get it somewhat correct depending on what you wished to accomplish.

If you want it to be an FDC, which is what you had in mind when you bought what you have, you won’t get there from where you are at currently.

If you want it to be some form of early French musket. Then you are going to figure out how to lessen the curvature of the butt. French guns really weren’t as curvy as many reproduction offerings offer them, and the progressively got straighter the closer they got to the F&I timeframe.

First thing you need to do is see if you can make that lock look French, which were very graceful and artistic looking even when cheaply made. After that you will need to address that 1766 Cavalry carbine style side plate.

Sounds like a plan: it'll just be some kind of French fowler, or I can call it a "fusil de confusion".
Thank you!
I'm going to have to look at a bunch of pictures and compare.
As far as an accurate Fusil de Chasse, do you have any recommendations kits or made guns?

 

[Brokennock]

As far as an accurate Fusil de Chasse, do you have any recommendations kits or made guns?

Talk to @Alexander Efremenko as mentioned earlier.

 

[FlinterNick]

Man, I would really like to help you, but to be honest you would most likely have to replace every part to get it somewhat correct depending on what you wished to accomplish.

If you want it to be an FDC, which is what you had in mind when you bought what you have, you won’t get there from where you are at currently.

If you want it to be some form of early French musket. Then you are going to figure out how to lessen the curvature of the butt. French guns really weren’t as curvy as many reproduction offerings offer them, and the progressively got straighter the closer they got to the F&I timeframe.

First thing you need to do is see if you can make that lock look French, which were very graceful and artistic looking even when cheaply made. After that you will need to address that 1766 Cavalry carbine style side plate.

My opinion the stock shape and overall design fits closest to what some would describe as a Hudson Valley Gun or New England gun. Hudson Valley guns have various stock shapes from club butt to Roman nose with massive continental locks. Calibers were 62-85.

The major issue with the Indian made guns is the weight which is a combination of the stock, hardware, and lock. I handled an original Tulle Fusil from a personal collection, it didnt’ weigh more than 7lbs possibly 61/2 lbs. The barrel was extremely light

 

[Clark Badgett]

Sounds like a plan: it'll just be some kind of French fowler, or I can call it a "fusil de confusion".
Thank you!
I'm going to have to look at a bunch of pictures and compare.
As far as an accurate Fusil de Chasse, do you have any recommendations kits or made guns?

“Fusil de Confusion” I really like that. Had a good laugh over it.

Unfortunately I don’t know of any current accurate kits available. Pecatonica is the only kit and it falls short of being correct, as did Track’s kit when they offered one. Fortunately the Tulle lock is correct looking externally, as are the FDC parts sold by the various venders. So they can be built if you are so inclined. The only source for correct barrels for most any form of French type trade or hunting gun is Larry Callahan in Michigan.

 

[pipascus]

My opinion the stock shape and overall design fits closest to what some would describe as a Hudson Valley Gun or New England gun. Hudson Valley guns have various stock shapes from club butt to Roman nose with massive continental locks. Calibers were 62-85.

The major issue with the Indian made guns is the weight which is a combination of the stock, hardware, and lock. I handled an original Tulle Fusil from a personal collection, it didnt’ weigh more than 7lbs possibly 61/2 lbs. The barrel was extremely light

I like that: a light, slender, elegant gun. Hopefully will be able to make mine acceptable, and then eventually find a flintlock that is as close to a TFDC as possible.

 

[pipascus]

“Fusil de Confusion” I really like that. Had a good laugh over it.

Unfortunately I don’t know of any current accurate kits available. Pecatonica is the only kit and it falls short of being correct, as did Track’s kit when they offered one. Fortunately the Tulle lock is correct looking externally, as are the FDC parts sold by the various venders. So they can be built if you are so inclined. The only source for correct barrels for most any form of French type trade or hunting gun is Larry Callahan in Michigan.

I figured it would be an appropriate designation.
Thank you for that information!
I will start doing research and at least compile some of info for when I can do it. Maybe getting the parts one at a time will be thee best way.

 

[Banjoman]

I usually just call mine a flintlock smooth bore because when I tell folks around here it’s a Fusil de Chasse in a strong French accent, I just get a bunch of blank stares.

 

[Clark Badgett]

I usually just call mine a flintlock smooth bore because when I tell folks around here it’s a Fusil de Chasse in a strong French accent, I just get a bunch of blank stares.

I pronounce it with a decidedly hillbilly accent.

 

[Clark Badgett]

I like that: a light, slender, elegant gun. Hopefully will be able to make mine acceptable, and then eventually find a flintlock that is as close to a TFDC as possible.

There are many French trade fowlers options you could go with. The Tulle or St. Ettiene FDC are just one style. There were also other types brought over for the trade. In Europe any arm that was made in large numbers with the intent to be sold through merchants were called trade guns, and they came anywhere from plane to really fancy.

To us modern Americans trade guns are those primarily intended for trade to the natives.

 

[Erwan]

In 18th century America the French offered three types of fusils for trade to the natives, fusil de trade, fusil de chasse, and fusil fine. (Spelling maybe wrong on all three.)The quality differed between them as did the price. They were all smooth bores i.e. "shotguns."

Those were the old French guns we call "Fusils de traite," which were frequently negotiated as other trading rifles with both settlers and Amerindians, Also, there were a lot of ancient military guns smooth bore. Is this the kind of rifles you mean?

 

[pipascus]

There are many French trade fowlers options you could go with. The Tulle or St. Ettiene FDC are just one style. There were also other types brought over for the trade. In Europe any arm that was made in large numbers with the intent to be sold through merchants were called trade guns, and they came anywhere from plane to really fancy.

To us modern Americans trade guns are those primarily intended for trade to the natives.

Interesting. I will have to look up those guns.
Thanks!

 

[Clark Badgett]

Interesting. I will have to look up those guns.
Thanks!

See if you can find any information on the Fusil de traite, Fusil demi fin, Fusil fin and Fusil a l’ancre.
Both were common amongst natives judging by artifacts recovered from digs.