Narragansett Arms smoothbore info?

[ThumperJones]

**I just realized I should have posted this in the dedicated Smoothbore section. I'm sorry!!**

Hey everybody, I'm looking to get my own flintlock to play with and a friend has offered me a flintlock to buy. I was hoping I could ask for some info and opinions from you kind folks? From what i can find online, the company had quite a rollercoaster of customer service and quality issues through their run. Admittedly, that's a bit of a turnoff, but the gun seems decent enough.

He says he bought the gun over 25 years ago best he remembers, and it's never been fired. No markings other than some marks on the lock (which I wasn't smart enough to take pictures of) The inletting around the lock looks tight and well fitted and the bore is in fine shape. Stock is dark and plain, and going by the open grain it looks to be walnut. Only has a nubby front blade, no rear sight. Barrel is octagon at the breech, tapering to round at about the 1/3 mark. Single trigger and has a flat club looking butt, it's a very plain gun overall. From my rough estimate it looks like a 20ga bore size.

I know that this is basically nothing to go by, and I can try and get pics up in a few days. But can anybody give me any insight on if this gun would be worth pursuing for around $300? And with it being an older gun would the quality hopefully be better than the later ones built during the last years?

I have been hunting with my dad's Lyman Deerstalker for a couple years and loving it. It's time to get my own, and while not ideal, this one may be fun to tinker with until I can find and afford a good rifle. Any opinions welcome, and I apologize in advance for the lack of info to go by.

 

[hawkeye2]

Do a search for what custom 20 gauge flint fowlers, even very plain ones, are going for and I think you'll answer your own question. You would have twice that in a gun made in India. The only thing that would stop me would be guilt feelings (not likely) about only giving my friend $300 for it.

 

[ThumperJones]

Thanks Hawkeye! I'll give it a googling.

Would it be considered ridiculous to try and fit a rear sight to this and use it for a close range deer gun? I understand it should be accurate enough by what I have read here, but would it totally ruin the gun if I ever wanted to part with it? But for what I'd have in it, I guess that shouldn't be much of a concern.

 

[Brokennock]

Pics would help. But, a $300 gamble compared to full price for a new smoothbore from anyone else, yup, I'd go for it. See if he'll let you test the lock and make sure it sparks, if it does, seem unsure that it's enough sparks and give him his $300.

 

[hawkeye2]

There are lots of ways to add a rear sight without hurting the gun, many of which are easily removed. If you find the right ball/patch combo and spend a little time working up a load I believe you'll find that you won't need a rear sight for deer.

 

[Grenadier1758]

That's a real good friend you have there. If I remember correctly, the Narragansett Arms were top quality near custom arms. They may have been made from Rifle Shoppe parts. One of the members of my reenactment unit has a Narragansett Arms First Model Long Land Pattern King's Musket. Excellent gun. That gun would be worth pursuing if he was asking $600.

You can add a rear sight, probably with epoxy so you can heat the sight and knock it off, but with practice the rear sight may become superfluous.

Are there any other accessories such as flints, ball, powder measures, powder horns etc that come with it to make it an even better deal?

 

[ThumperJones]

Nah just the gun at this point. I have all the other whatnots to get going other than some lead.

I've filed in a dovetail groove or three on some old air rifles before, so that may be my permanent solution. But I'll follow your good suggestion on the epoxy idea to determine the correct height or if I even need one at all!

Ya'll have me pretty excited now. Thanks guys.

 

[Dr5x]

I DEALT WITH THE OWNER OF THE ORIGINAL NARRAGANSETT ARMS COMPANY. TIME AND A FAILING MEMORY HAS ERASED HIS NAME. BUT I DO REMEMBER HIM AS VERY WELL INTENTIONED
.
I REMEMBER THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS LATER BUT NEVER DID HEAR WHAT THEY WERE.
I BELIVE YOU HAVE CALLED IT A SMOOTHBORE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE HE OFFERED ANYTHING BUT RIFLES.
IF THE BORE IS STRAIGHT AND UNBULGED, I THINK I WOULD GO FOR IT IF I COULD STILL SEE WELL ENOUGH TO D ANY SHOOTING.

DUTCH SCHOULTZ

**I just realized I should have posted this in the dedicated Smoothbore section. I'm sorry!!**

Hey everybody, I'm looking to get my own flintlock to play with and a friend has offered me a flintlock to buy. I was hoping I could ask for some info and opinions from you kind folks? From what i can find online, the company had quite a rollercoaster of customer service and quality issues through their run. Admittedly, that's a bit of a turnoff, but the gun seems decent enough.

He says he bought the gun over 25 years ago best he remembers, and it's never been fired. No markings other than some marks on the lock (which I wasn't smart enough to take pictures of) The inletting around the lock looks tight and well fitted and the bore is in fine shape. Stock is dark and plain, and going by the open grain it looks to be walnut. Only has a nubby front blade, no rear sight. Barrel is octagon at the breech, tapering to round at about the 1/3 mark. Single trigger and has a flat club looking butt, it's a very plain gun overall. From my rough estimate it looks like a 20ga bore size.

I know that this is basically nothing to go by, and I can try and get pics up in a few days. But can anybody give me any insight on if this gun would be worth pursuing for around $300? And with it being an older gun would the quality hopefully be better than the later ones built during the last years?

I have been hunting with my dad's Lyman Deerstalker for a couple years and loving it. It's time to get my own, and while not ideal, this one may be fun to tinker with until I can find and afford a good rifle. Any opinions welcome, and I apologize in advance for the lack of info to go by.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Barrels cost $250-$300 these days. Locks are $175-$190. You could buy the gun and salvage the parts and throw the rest away and be ahead.

 

[artrepro]

I have one of the guns described above. It is a close copy of of a French hunting gun. If I would consider selling mine I would be asking at least $1000.00. I have no ideal what shape the one you are looking at.

Mine shoots very well. I have killed deer over 75 yards,and hunted various small game sucessfully including birds in flight. At one time I used it for all my shooting.

Chuck40219

 

[artrepro]

I have one of the guns described above. It is a close copy of of a French hunting gun. If I would consider selling mine I would be asking at least $1000.00. I have no ideal what shape the one you are looking at.

Mine shoots very well. I have killed deer over 75 yards,and hunted various small game sucessfully including birds in flight. At one time I used it for all my shotting.

 

[ThumperJones]

Couple quick pics. The markings on the lock are the only marks I see on the entire gun. Can anybody tell me what kind of lock this is? I'm going to need to pick up some flints to get started with it and trying to get an idea on what size I'll need. Thanks guys!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

That's an L&R trade lock. $300 is an absolute steal for that gun. It's a TULLE Fusil De Chasse. Probably one of the best Narraganset guns I have ever seen.

 

[Straekat]

You did well!

Seems very similar to this one.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...tyle-flintlock-fusil-de-ch-1244-c-b2941aa817#

 

[ThumperJones]

Thanks bud, I'm glad to have it so far. I crammed a too-small flint in it and after a couple shots it's sparking well. The trigger is very light, much better than I expected.

I'm not familiar enough to say for certain it's a Narragansett Arms, but if the consensus agrees thats what I'll call it! I appreciate the help .

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Generally, Narrgansets aren't that nice. I'd say it was put together by a good gunmaker who knows French guns.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Measure the maximum width of the frizzen. With hammer at half cock, measure from the front of the jaw screw to the face of the closed frizzen and subtract about 1/8". These measurements should be equal. The important measurement is the width of the frizzen.

 

[ThumperJones]

Measure the maximum width of the frizzen. With hammer at half cock, measure from the front of the jaw screw to the face of the closed frizzen and subtract about 1/8". These measurements should be equal. The important measurement is the width of the frizzen.

Thanks very much for that! From my measurements, looks like a 7/8" wide, and 1" long flint should be about right. I really need to learn to smash these things out myself! That's the next project..

 

[hunter58]

Narragansett Arms LTD was located in Indianapolis Indiana. The original owners was named Phil, don't recall the last name, but I had two made from him and was top quality. I still own the smoothbore and paid $800 for it in 1990. The company made 250 Ferguson rifles around 2000 and still command a good price when found. He partnered with another person in mid 90's and had a few qaulity issues, but turned it around a few years later. I believe they are now out of business.

 

[ThumperJones]

Narragansett Arms LTD was located in Indianapolis Indiana. The original owners was named Phil, don't recall the last name, but I had two made from him and was top quality. I still own the smoothbore and paid $800 for it in 1990. The company made 250 Ferguson rifles around 2000 and still command a good price when found. He partnered with another person in mid 90's and had a few qaulity issues, but turned it around a few years later. I believe they are now out of business.

That's good info, thank you! It would be nice to try and date this gun here. I did manage to take the lock apart last night and polish a couple things, and found "82" scribed on the lock if that has any bearing to anything. It's certainly an L&R lock just as ComfortablyNumb said.

Never been inside a lock before , but I figured it out. I evened up and smoothed out the end of the mainspring, and also it's mating surface on the piece that operates the "hammer". Also smoothed out the top of the rail on the trigger, and also the trigger "pin" that it presses against. Smoothed the foot of the frizzen that slides across the frizzen spring. I checked the frizzen to pan fit, and it was decent. Maybe not water tight but certainly will hold powder. I painted it up with gear marking compound (I'm a mechanic by trade, had some on hand and its making contact in a couple spots on the outside edges. Good enough I reckon, and probably better than the Lyman ever was. Gave the pan a half hearted polish with some 400 grit emory cloth and called it a night.

Feels noticeably smoother which I assume is a good thing. Still new at this!