my new pistol

[bornintheussr]

got this over the weekend, no any stamps r proof marks except for BROWN engraved on the barrel. I don't think this is antique gun on the other had I don't recognize parts used in this build. What you guys think?

 

[bornintheussr]

 

[springfield art]

Ruggedly handsome, nice patina!

 

[Kansas Jake]

I think it is a nicely done contemporary build.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

got this over the weekend, no any stamps r proof marks except for BROWN engraved on the barrel. I don't think this is antique gun on the other had I don't recognize parts used in this build. What you guys think?

View attachment 298178

No disrespect intended. Nice pistol, but that is a percussion not a flintlock.
Larry

 

[No Answers]

The shape of the trigger is interesting. What are your plans for the missing rear sight?

 

[poker]

Looks contemporary to me, but its a great looking piece

 

[bornintheussr]

The shape of the trigger is interesting. What are your plans for the missing rear sight?

No plans, will shoot as is, it's a smoothbore.

 

[Notchy Bob]

My guess would be the pistol was made by Jackie Brown, a prolific builder somewhere in north Alabama or southwest Tennessee.* I know Jackie likes that “Tennessee” sideplate, the trigger with the pigtail curl, and on his smoothbores, a turtle front sight. I have a Jackie Brown fowling piece which has exactly the same sideplate, trigger, and front sight. Jackie called it a “Carolina smoothbore,” although it is quite different from the historic “Carolina guns” of the 18th century. I’ll need to pull it out and check, but I think mine has his first and last names engraved on the barrel. Maybe he only put his last name on your pistol because of limited space on the shorter barrel.

Your pistol has a Siler lock, which is one of the best.

Jackie is a very fast builder, and his work sometimes shows it. My long gun had a few minor issues I was able to manage myself. However, his workmanship overall is solid.

I don’t know if Jackie is still building, as he is getting up in years. People who own his guns tend to keep them, so even though he has probably built hundreds, I don’t see a lot of them up for sale.

In any event, I like that pistol a lot. It ought to be a good shooter, and a lot of fun. You have a keeper there, Bub.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

*(Late edit) Or maybe northern Mississippi.

 

[bornintheussr]

My guess would be the pistol was made by Jackie Brown, a prolific builder somewhere in north Alabama or southwest Tennessee. I know Jackie likes that “Tennessee” sideplate, the trigger with the pigtail curl, and on his smoothbores, a turtle front sight. I have a Jackie Brown fowling piece which has exactly the same sideplate, trigger, and front sight. Jackie called it a “Carolina smoothbore,” although it is quite different from the historic “Carolina guns” of the 18th century. I’ll need to pull it out and check, but I think mine has his first and last names engraved on the barrel. Maybe he only put his last name on your pistol because of limited space on the shorter barrel.

Your pistol has a Siler lock, which is one of the best.

Jackie is a very fast builder, and his work sometimes shows it. My long gun had a few minor issues I was able to manage myself. However, his workmanship overall is solid.

I don’t know if Jackie is still building, as he is getting up in years. People who own his guns tend to keep them, so even though he has probably built hundreds, I don’t see a lot of them up for sale.

In any event, I like that pistol a lot. It ought to be a good shooter, and a lot of fun. You have a keeper there, Bub.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

Wow! Thank you Bob for very detailed info. Please publish pictures of your gun if you will have a chance.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Addendum: One of the issues to which I alluded (above) was that Jackie did not completely “kill” the rust which resulted from his browning/antiquing process. I see a lot of rust on your pistol in hard-to-reach areas. If you are comfortable doing so, I would recommend that you carefully disassemble to gun, clean off the rust, and apply a preservative or good gun oil before reassembly.

Try not to faint when you see the underside of the barrel.

Notchy Bob

 

[bornintheussr]

Addendum: One of the issues to which I alluded (above) was that Jackie did not completely “kill” the rust which resulted from his browning/antiquing process. I see a lot of rust on your pistol in hard-to-reach areas. If you are comfortable doing so, I would recommend that you carefully disassemble to gun, clean off the rust, and apply a preservative or good gun oil before reassembly.

Try not to faint when you see the underside of the barrel.

Notchy Bob

I looked up Jackie Brown and his guns, it looks like he mostly did rifles. I only found 2 or 3 pistols made by him. Is he out of business by now?

 

[Notchy Bob]

I looked up Jackie Brown and his guns, it looks like he mostly did rifles. I only found 2 or 3 pistols made by him. Is he out of business by now?

After reading this thread earlier this afternoon, I looked Mr. Brown up in my contact list and sent him an email, which got kicked back as "undeliverable." However, I remembered seeing some of his posts on the ALR forum, and he apparently had some activity there just today. He currently has a very short flintlock "canoe gun" in the ALR Classifieds, so I'm pretty sure he's still around, and evidently still building a few guns. That's good! He has built all sorts of muzzleloaders... fowling pieces, Northwest guns, rifles, and at least one jaeger that I saw up for sale a while back. Yours is the only pistol of his that I have seen, assuming he was the builder. It sure looks like his style.

Again, I really like that pistol. It is nicely designed, and the builder did a good job carving the stock. Even the "distressing" on the stock, whether artificial or naturally acquired, looks good. It ought to be a lot of fun to shoot, too, with shot or ball.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Notchy Bob]

I was able to make contact with Jackie Brown, and I sent him the first photo from post #1 of this thread. He responded, “Yes, sir, that is one of mine. If I just signed “Brown” on the barrel, it means it was sold in the white and the customer finished it.”

Jackie added that he is still building a few guns, but he is not taking orders any more. I have heard of a number of well-established gun and horn-makers who are doing this, just building the pieces that interest them, “on spec,” and then putting those pieces up for sale. Recognized builders have no trouble selling their products. That way, they can build on their own timetable, and I imagine some clients can be troublesome with regard to custom orders.

Anyway, there’s confirmation of your builder!

Notchy Bob

 

[ROA457]

Wow! Thank you Bob for very detailed info. Please publish pictures of your gun if you will have a chance.

 

[bornintheussr]

Thank you Bob!
I really like blanket gun he got on American LR, maybe I should get it from him
Looked up his previous posts and don't see he ever offered any other guns for sale on that forum. Maybe it's my last chance to get his gun from him directly

 

[dracer]

very well done pictures , thank you

 

[bornintheussr]

Talked to Mr. Brown today, he is really nice gentleman, asked him to build me flintlock pistol when he will feel himself better.

 

[Celt5494]

I have one of those that looks strikingly similar in flintlock and smoothbore .54 The signature is the same as is the turtle front sight coinciding with other similarities. I never knew who made it because I bought it from an elderly man at a shoot. I'll see if I can't haul it out and give a look see as we might just have the same builder. Beautiful gun and has a wonderfully smooth ignition.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

He must have small hands - or that piece of wood wasn't quite big enough but he used it anyway.