Muzzle loading pistol identification help request

[~dan~]

Hello everyone
May I ask for any assistance you can give with identifying what I have here. To my layman’s eye it is likely ‘made up’ but nevertheless I’d be interested in understanding more about it. The inner diameter of the bore is .65 inch or about 15mm. The barrel is about 10” or so and the whole thing is about 16.5” long.I can’t see any obvious makers marks on any of the metalwork.
Thanks very much
Dan

 

[TFoley]

Your layman's eye is good. With those lovely modern machine screws, crude attempt at 'checkering' and overall 'hang on the wall' look, it is a frawk. Remember that with very few exceptions, pistols of the era represented by your frawk are graceful and pleasing to the eye - sadly, this is neither.

 

[user 48679]

There may be some clues/marks hidden on the bottom of the barrel or inside the lock plate.

The styling of the grip looks a bit awkward, so maybe a very old amateur build.

The lock plate is the best-looking part of the pistol..........

 

[desi23]

The lock and the barrel really don't appear to match up quite right to me. The fit around the percussion bolster looks odd. Perhaps an old build using salvaged parts or might have been something made for the tourist trade in the Mediterranean area (anywhere from Spain to North Africa to the middle east).

 

[~dan~]

There may be some clues/marks hidden on the bottom of the barrel or inside the lock plate.

The styling of the grip looks a bit awkward, so maybe a very old amateur build.

The lock plate is the best-looking part of the pistol..........

Thanks. Could the lock plate be genuine do you think?

 

[~dan~]

The lock and the barrel really don't appear to match up quite right to me. The fit around the percussion bolster looks odd. Perhaps an old build using salvaged parts or might have been something made for the tourist trade in the Mediterranean area (anywhere from Spain to North Africa to the middle east).

Thanks. In your opinion then could some parts be genuine, accepting it’s likely a ‘Frankenstein’ pistol as a whole.

 

[~dan~]

Your layman's eye is good. With those lovely modern machine screws, crude attempt at 'checkering' and overall 'hang on the wall' look, it is a frawk. Remember that with very few exceptions, pistols of the era represented by your frawk are graceful and pleasing to the eye - sadly, this is neither.

Thanks. Does any of it look real to you then, could it be a couple of genuine parts with other non original parts? I’ve been offered it and I know it’s worth very little I just want to be fair to the guy selling it with what I offer. Thanks again.

 

[44Bro]

Looks to MY eye, that the stock was broken and sloppily repaired. The lock stock and barrel appear to be old. The gap between the lock plate and the barrel bolster appear to have been caused by the over use of filler behind the barrel. Pic 3 shows the forward reset of the barrel tang, and pic 6 shows the glob of filler responsible. Also visible in pic 6 are the cracks in the stock.

 

[TFoley]

Thanks. Does any of it look real to you then, could it be a couple of genuine parts with other non original parts? I’ve been offered it and I know it’s worth very little I just want to be fair to the guy selling it with what I offer. Thanks again.

Sir, in my opinion there are much better ways of throwing money away. The thing is a piece of junk - how can you not see that? Living in UK means that finding any part of any kind to replace parts of this piece is going to be so difficult as to be nigh-on impossible. Unlike the USA, where there are companies who HAVE bits and pieces for guns of this era - Track of the wolf, Dixie Gun Works, the Rifle Shoppe, and many others, there is nowhere in UK.

Save your money to buy something real - there are thousands of examples of the real thing for sale here in UK - go to an arms and armour fair and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Boatncamp]

To me this looks like a pistol version of something meant for / from North Africa. A pistol version of a camel gun? Later edition as it is percussion, but appears to be smooth bore not rifled. Interesting wall hanger but doubt it is worth much. Could have been originally flint and converted to percussion as the lock plate looks like it could have been filed flat on the front top area?

 

[TDM]

Well, whatever it is, it will look great on the wall. I like the lock engraving.

 

[sportster73hp]

Could be worse. I bought this at auction and realized it was a wall hanger at home. The weld seam inside the barrel made it obvious.