LEFT HANDED Harpers Ferry

[Mike Brooks]

Mike, :thumbsup: , and not only that, but I said nothing in this thread to warrant such a response either!

He thought you were me. :youcrazy: He has some sort of ax to grind for me, and I'm not sure why. :shake:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Steve, you have every right to have a custom gun made to your specs. Including military weapons. All I said was that there were no lefthanded muskets or any other Armory built shoulder weapons produced. There may have possibly been a custom made military shoulder arm produced by an armorer in off-duty hours for a special customer at some point. However, he would have had to handmake the "side sensitive" parts for it, such as the lock. One has never crossed my path in many years of studying and handling old guns.

As for having one made, I'm sure someone would do it for the right price. Your Carolina smoothbore doesn't quite fit the same category as the 1803/1814 Harper's Ferry Rifle which was an armory made regulation military weapon.
:thumbsup:

 

[steveh]

I agree with you, KR!...I was speaking mainly about non-martial arms. :winking:

 

Have you noticed that "Russian Bullmoose Man" hasn't been back since he asked his question? can you blame him. I apologize for contributing to the highjacking of his thread. The guy asked if anybody made a particular gun and everybody went off in the "it wasn't PC" direction.

My advice? Buy any gun you like whether it is PC or not. The worst that can happen is you might not be able to participate in a few "organized events". So what? Enjoy your left handed gun and if anyone tells you it's not PC, simply say, "I know, it's OK".

 

[Tumblernotch]

Okay Steve! I'm sorry if I sounded like I was jumpin' down your throat. Didn't mean to. I think I was kinda edgy the other day. Anyhoo, good luck with yer smoothbore! :thumbsup:

And Dale, I believe you're right. I didn't mean to help hijack it either. There's one about having two uniforms in the CW category that has turned into a multi-pronged debate about all the causes of the War. It is too easy to get derailed on some of these threads.

RBMM, if you're still there, as Dale says, get what you want and are comfortable with, PC or not. If it is a lefthanded military weapon, it will probably be pretty hard to get one made due to the lock in particular, but not impossible. And also as Dale stated, some historical events may be hard to enter (who knows?), but you will have a gun that's perfectly comfortable to shoot and definitely rare! :hatsoff:

 

[steveh]

I didn't feel jumped on, KR...All is cool! :hatsoff:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Good! I don't want you to think I'm bein' a jerk or worse. My Dad is real sick and I'm fightin' a nasty cold and not in the best frame of mind to be discussing much of anything. But, I have to stick my nose into a thread or two now and then anyways. Ya'll have a real good weekend.
:thumbsup:

 

[Bountyhunter]

Matt Denison, in his North Star West website, states that the chiefs grade trade gun was originally made with a left hand option, and was the only original flintlock gun that was.

Just for the information.

 

[Okwaho]

Matt Denison, in his North Star West website, states that the chiefs grade trade gun was originally made with a left hand option, and was the only original flintlock gun that was.

Just for the information.

With all due respect to Matt I would very much like to see the documentation on any Northwest gun made as left handed for distribution to the Indians including chiefs.I don't question a gun manufactured as a special order for a White customer of the Hudson's Bay Company,Northwest Fur Company, American Fur Company or any other distributor of these guns.I do,however, question the left handed option for guns given to Indian chiefs.I have never heard of or seen illustrated any left handed Indian gift guns. The archaeological specimen cited by me which was recovered in Louisiana and illlustrated by Hamilton was in my opinion a gun brought over by or ordered by a Frenchman and its presence in an Indian grave is probably the result of a later acquisition by an Indian.Wallace Gusler,in his series of articles in Muzzle Blast, illustrated two mid to late 18th century Kentucky rifles found in Indian graves in Mississippi and I believe Alabama.Since these guns were hardly Indian gift or trade guns,it is more plausible to believe that they were acquired from their White owners in some fashion.
Tom Patton

Again I would like to see the documentation appearing in Northstarwest's web site on left handed guns made for gift guns to Indians.
Tom Patton

 

[steveh]

This is taken from North West's website (click on Chief's Grade Gun)...FWIW

The gun we produce uses hardware that is a direct copy from an original gun. The only difference being the fact that these new guns are made of modern materials. We have the brass parts cast especially for us, they are of the finest "Yellow Brass" which has a high silver content. We also produce this gun in a left hand "mirror image" version. To our knowledge this is the only "Trade Gun" orginally produced as a left hand gun. The stock is inlet for the barrel, lock, trigger, trigger guard and butt plate. The ram-rod hole is pre-drilled and the forearm is machined close to the final configuration.

 

[Bullmoose]

WHOA NELLY!!! :bow:
Man of Man what a hootnanny party we are having here.
Thanks for all the PC/authenic answers on military rifles. :hatsoff:
I can see now why having a lefty military would just not work, the look, the drill, the line of fire would and could get confusing, just like this forum. :shocked2: If a lefty was in line he would be getting in a righty's face as he would be loading. Since way back then everybody was suppose to be in step and as a team. Not like this forum, but thanks for all the information. :redface:
Well I guess I will find a different style rifle to use at rondezvous.
If there every was a lefty military found, WOW it would be worth some mucho MONEY.
As to all this PC or Non PC stuff, Hey it don't bother me, just go with the flow man, whatever is in the pan just eat it. And if it isn't your cup of tea, you don't have to come back for more.
I guess if some one is brandnew in this stuff, it may hurt them or offend them and they won't be back. I guess us old-timers (old dogs) need to learn some new tricks, such as patience and some forsight in newcomers in this field of Period Correct. Guide the freshman through this stuff don't cut their necks. Also those that holler a lot about this stuff. Well get in there and work to change some stuff around for the good of others. :v

 

Matt Denison, in his North Star West website, states that the chiefs grade trade gun was originally made with a left hand option, and was the only original flintlock gun that was.

Just for the information.

With all due respect to Matt I would very much like to see the documentation on any Northwest gun made as left handed for distribution to the Indians including chiefs.I don't question a gun manufactured as a special order for a White customer of the Hudson's Bay Company,Northwest Fur Company, American Fur Company or any other distributor of these guns.I do,however, question the left handed option for guns given to Indian chiefs.I have never heard of or seen illustrated any left handed Indian gift guns. The archaeological specimen cited by me which was recovered in Louisiana and illlustrated by Hamilton was in my opinion a gun brought over by or ordered by a Frenchman and its presence in an Indian grave is probably the result of a later acquisition by an Indian.Wallace Gusler,in his series of articles in Muzzle Blast, illustrated two mid to late 18th century Kentucky rifles found in Indian graves in Mississippi and I believe Alabama.Since these guns were hardly Indian gift or trade guns,it is more plausible to believe that they were acquired from their White owners in some fashion.
Tom Patton

Again I would like to see the documentation appearing in Northstarwest's web site on left handed guns made for gift guns to Indians.
Tom Patton

Tom,
It is good to be a stickler for documentation on american indian lifestyles and material goods as well as just guns. At least 3 primary sources for the common. I know this is off topic...but it is meant to encourage you to be as serious about Indian documentation as you are about gun docs.

Best regards,
Don

 

[Mike Brooks]

This is taken from North West's website (click on Chief's Grade Gun)...FWIW

The gun we produce uses hardware that is a direct copy from an original gun. The only difference being the fact that these new guns are made of modern materials. We have the brass parts cast especially for us, they are of the finest "Yellow Brass" which has a high silver content. We also produce this gun in a left hand "mirror image" version. To our knowledge this is the only "Trade Gun" orginally produced as a left hand gun. The stock is inlet for the barrel, lock, trigger, trigger guard and butt plate. The ram-rod hole is pre-drilled and the forearm is machined close to the final configuration.

Anything can be written, but doesn't always make it true.... but in this case I believe they mean they are producing the only left hand trade gun available on today's market. Otherwise, if there is a left handed trade gun out there I'd surely like to see it. As another point of intest, this is the first time I'm aware of the fact that silver is used to produce "Yellow Brass"....Makes me wonder about the validity of the rest of the statement.... :hmm:

 

[steveh]

To our knowledge this is the only "Trade Gun" orginally produced as a left hand gun.

This could be taken either way, but I certainly don't have that expertise.
The ML folks in my corner of the Hinterlands don't seem to be bothered by the ubiquitous left-handed long gun at their events.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Left handed guns don't bother me either. If that's waht a fellow wants to carry then that's what he should have....I've probably built a dozen of them or so. But, when put into the context of the 18th century, left handed guns of any type were quite rare.

 

[steveh]

If it wasnt for a cheek rest on many of the muzzleloaders, the rifle is pretty generic. The lock itself isn't any more a problem for a lefthander than a righthander, IMO.