Left hand Tulle lock

[CoyoteJoe]

I've a friend who is smitten with the looks of the Fusil-de-chasse, as am I. Problem is, he's left handed and there is not much to choose from in left handed locks. About the closest I've found is the L&R Queen Anne, which is not real close to a Tulle, but I guess left handed flint locks are never really PC anyhow.
Does anyone have a better suggestion? :hmm:

 

[rich pierce]

I think there's a couple of good options out there. One is to NOT try to make a specific style of gun that perfectly fits what is known of fusils de chasse. To try to make one that fits a specific "model" and is PC is challenging- as you know, locks are hard to match, etc.

Instead I'd make a generic early English trade gun patterned after the French pieces of the day and use the left-handed Queene Anne lock.
Go to[url] www.snowshoemen.com[/url] and look at the muskets they show. Here's one that could use the L&R Queene Anne. It's a Danny Caywood gun, called a "Wilson Trade gun" patterned after the French pieces of the day.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd build it using a right handed lock and give the stock cast off for a left handed shooter.

 

[Stophel]

I figger the average left handed person just simply learned to shoot (and do everything else) right handed.

I have seen pictures of early 19th century guns made left handed (cheek piece on "wrong" side) but with an ordinary right side lock.

If making a true left hand gun, I think it would be a neat touch to make the lock appear as if it were the left lock off a set of doubles with a countersunk through-hole for the lock bolts, maybe threading into an iron sideplate (as opposed to the right side lock).

 

[Cruzatte]

I'm left handed, and shoot left handed. I have shot a right handed single barrel shotgun, and come to think of it, also a Brown Bess too, all with no difficulty. Neither of these guns were my personal property, however. But as far as shooting smoothbore guns goes, I see no difficulty in a left handed man shooting a right handed gun. The stocks on these two guns were pretty straight, that is no cast on nor cast off.

Cruzatte

 

[Gary]

Have you considered Siler's gunmaker's lock? It's a rectangular lock plate and you have to cut and grind and file it to fit the profile you want.

 

[tg]

There have been left handed locks found on 18th century smoothbores, as far as a "correct" left hand lock for a French Fusil, one might consider how close the rest of the components are going to be to the originals, if one goes with a curly maple stock and non repro furniture and barrel and such that are noy up to snuff,the authenticity of the lock may not really be much of an issue in the overall picture.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I do appreciate all of your replies and suggestions. I think I prefer the lazy way out, just use the Queen Anne or even a large Siler and not worry about it. :v

 

[Jon in MI]

I have a large Siler on my lefthand Tulle kit. I just figured it wasn't going to be pc anyway so just get a good lock that I won't have any problems with and enjoy shooting it. I just need to get it done so I can shoot it.

Jon

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yeah, that's my thinking too Jon.