Pete of Middlesex Villiage Trading Co. has listed these on Gunbroker as a clear out deal. They are listed on MVTC's web site at $399 but I got one for $205 and I'd sure be disappointed if I'd payed more.
This is a late percussion era single 12 gauge with 32" cylinder bore barrel and weight of 6 3/4 pounds. It is not a bad looking gun, at least not from 20 feet away. The stock is some rather soft Asian wood, like that used on a Chinese SKS. The checkering of the straight grip, though coarse, is not too badly done.
The nipple is supposed to take a musket cap but the cap would have to be crushed to stay on the tapered nipple. The nipple must be replaced anyway because it is one of the antique style bored from the bottom with a very large opening which would allow lots of blowback. It is some odd size, about 7mm diameter, which will have to be retapped to 5/16x24.
With nipple removed I saw that the flash channel, connecting nipple to powder chamber of the patent breech, was drilled to only about 1/32" diameter and not at the bottom of the nipple but only about two threads down. In other words it appears that when the nipple is installed it would totally block the flash channel. It will have to be re-drilled from the outside of the breech with a clean-out screw to close the open end.
The patent breechplug was easily removed from the barrel and a cursory examination showed the threads to be OK except that the barrel is tapped at least one full thread deeper then the male thread of the patent breech.
The bore is listed as 12 gauge but mine measures only .718" diameter as opposed to the standard of .729". The bore is polished OK but a tight cleaning patch on a jag gives a feel of being a bit looser in the first half of the barrel than in the last half. This seems as though they may have polished the lower part of the barrel more than the upper, perhaps to polish out some flaws. One deep pit still remains. The diameter would call for wads of 13 gauge.
The lock, though of late percussion design, is a bit crude but will work. The trigger pull is almost a test of strength.
I have the tools and ability to correct all of these problems but if one had to pay a gunsmith they would be out a fair chunk of change just to make it shootable. The one problem not easily corrected is the location of the trigger guard. It is set well back so that the single trigger sits like the front trigger of a double. It looks odd and requires pressing the hand very tight to the back of the guard to reach the trigger. I can reach it OK but expect recoil may slam my middle finger.
I won't be firing this for a while, lots of work to do first. I intend to ream the bore to the proper .729", leaving the muzzle at the present .718" for a slight choke.
For the price I paid, it seems a fair deal, all things considered. If you want one, call Pete and make an offer, I think he has a few left but won't be getting any more. If you don't have the tools and know-how to correct these problems it would not be a bargin at any price. :grin:
This is a late percussion era single 12 gauge with 32" cylinder bore barrel and weight of 6 3/4 pounds. It is not a bad looking gun, at least not from 20 feet away. The stock is some rather soft Asian wood, like that used on a Chinese SKS. The checkering of the straight grip, though coarse, is not too badly done.
The nipple is supposed to take a musket cap but the cap would have to be crushed to stay on the tapered nipple. The nipple must be replaced anyway because it is one of the antique style bored from the bottom with a very large opening which would allow lots of blowback. It is some odd size, about 7mm diameter, which will have to be retapped to 5/16x24.
With nipple removed I saw that the flash channel, connecting nipple to powder chamber of the patent breech, was drilled to only about 1/32" diameter and not at the bottom of the nipple but only about two threads down. In other words it appears that when the nipple is installed it would totally block the flash channel. It will have to be re-drilled from the outside of the breech with a clean-out screw to close the open end.
The patent breechplug was easily removed from the barrel and a cursory examination showed the threads to be OK except that the barrel is tapped at least one full thread deeper then the male thread of the patent breech.
The bore is listed as 12 gauge but mine measures only .718" diameter as opposed to the standard of .729". The bore is polished OK but a tight cleaning patch on a jag gives a feel of being a bit looser in the first half of the barrel than in the last half. This seems as though they may have polished the lower part of the barrel more than the upper, perhaps to polish out some flaws. One deep pit still remains. The diameter would call for wads of 13 gauge.
The lock, though of late percussion design, is a bit crude but will work. The trigger pull is almost a test of strength.
I have the tools and ability to correct all of these problems but if one had to pay a gunsmith they would be out a fair chunk of change just to make it shootable. The one problem not easily corrected is the location of the trigger guard. It is set well back so that the single trigger sits like the front trigger of a double. It looks odd and requires pressing the hand very tight to the back of the guard to reach the trigger. I can reach it OK but expect recoil may slam my middle finger.
I won't be firing this for a while, lots of work to do first. I intend to ream the bore to the proper .729", leaving the muzzle at the present .718" for a slight choke.
For the price I paid, it seems a fair deal, all things considered. If you want one, call Pete and make an offer, I think he has a few left but won't be getting any more. If you don't have the tools and know-how to correct these problems it would not be a bargin at any price. :grin:
