Need help with inherited musket

[jal5]

New guy to this forum and new to traditional BP guns.

I inherited two bp rifles from my uncle recently, made by him from kits in the early 80's. I posted pics on another forum and one of the members identified the flintlock as a African trade musket. The flintlock mechanism has the initials CT or GT on the spur of the hammer. Any leads on what this might mean?

thanks,
Joe

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Nope but I'd encourage you to post photos here. There are lots of folks willing to help but they'll need more to go on. Best of luck to you on your quest for answers.

 

[jal5]

Thanks Muskeg.

Do I have to post photos from a photo sharing site or can I upload photos from my computer?

 

[Tommy Bruce]

They need to come from a sharing site.

 

[jal5]

Here is the musket picture & you can see the initials CT or GT on the hammer spur. the plate has an American Eagle to the left of the hammer.

 

[jal5]

Here is one of both guns.

 

[jal5]

one more of the caplock up close

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. Jal5,
The percussion rifle looks to be from a CVA kit.
Best Wishes

 

[jal5]

Yes I think its a forerunner of the CVA line- JUKAR and SPAIN is inscribed on the barrel of that one. Its a rifled barrel but what caliber I am not sure yet.

It is fun trying to find out all I can about these two gifts from my uncle. It helps with the sadness of losing him this year.

Joe

 

[BEP]

The flintlock was sold here in the 1970's by J&G (then J&G Rifle Ranch) and several others as a "Long Tom" fowler. I don't remember the price but it wasn't too much. I know, because I bought one back then. You'll find that it has a two-piece stock, with the seam under the rear barrel band. And, although it sparked indifferently at best, I shot mine quite a bit. That was then - I cannot today in good faith and conscience reccommend that anyone fire one of these today.

I suspect that there are still quite a few of them out there, as they show up at several on line auction sites from time to time.

 

[Jason Lewis]

the percussion rifle is probably 50 cal. i had one just like it when i was a kid. cheap, fun to put together, shot accuratly but wasn't what you would call 100% reliable. more like 80% reliable.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

The flintlock was sold here in the 1970's by J&G (then J&G Rifle Ranch) and several others as a "Long Tom" fowler.

Do you happen to remember where they were made? With the two piece lock plate, African Trade Musket sounds about right from the few other posts I've read about those guns.

 

[jal5]

the percussion rifle is less than 50 cal.
I tried a 50 cal. bullet in the bore but it was too big. Maybe a 45 cal.? I have to examine it some more to be sure.

 

[jal5]

Could what you call the "long Tom fowler" be the same as the African Trade Musket? The musket I compared mine to was exactly the same which is why I thought mine was the African Trade Musket.

I wish my uncle would have kept some documentation on these rifles! He probably did but my aunt has not come across it yet in cleaning out the house.

 

[BEP]

The flintlock was sold here in the 1970's by J&G (then J&G Rifle Ranch) and several others as a "Long Tom" fowler.

Do you happen to remember where they were made? With the two piece lock plate, African Trade Musket sounds about right from the few other posts I've read about those guns.

It was a long time ago, but as I remember, the markingd on the barrel (there were none on the lock) indicated Belgian manufacture. Pretty sure but not swear-on-a-Bible certain. Like I said, it was a long time ago.

Actually, both answers are probably correct. Back in the day, J&G sold quite a variety of firearms; they could very well have got hold of a bunch of African trade muskets and sold them here as Long Toms. Wouldn't surprise me at all. And they weren't the only seller of these muskets but that's where I bought mine.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Every one of those Jukar caplocks I've seen was in .45 caliber.

 

[redwing]

I bought one of these "Long Fowlers" around 1963 as I recall. They were being sold by Sears & Robuck and Montgomery Ward. I used broken arrow heads for flints. I used some old blasting powder for the pan and charge. Boy, you talk about a slow fire that was one. I agree, knowing what I know now. I would only use them for wall hangers. I don't recall where they were made. :shake:

 

[Jason Lewis]

the percussion rifle is less than 50 cal.
I tried a 50 cal. bullet in the bore but it was too big. Maybe a 45 cal.? I have to examine it some more to be sure.

yeah, it's probably a 45 then, i'm sure it was offered in 45 too.

 

[jal5]

the caplock looks to be a 45, at least the 45 powerbelt I had fits in the muzzle easily.

 

[jal5]

The flintlock was sold here in the 1970's by J&G (then J&G Rifle Ranch) and several others as a "Long Tom" fowler.

Do you happen to remember where they were made? With the two piece lock plate, African Trade Musket sounds about right from the few other posts I've read about those guns.

It was a long time ago, but as I remember, the markingd on the barrel (there were none on the lock) indicated Belgian manufacture. Pretty sure but not swear-on-a-Bible certain. Like I said, it was a long time ago.

Actually, both answers are probably correct. Back in the day, J&G sold quite a variety of firearms; they could very well have got hold of a bunch of African trade muskets and sold them here as Long Toms. Wouldn't surprise me at all. And they weren't the only seller of these muskets but that's where I bought mine.

I will look more closely at the barrel, I think it is marked Belgian though. Will have more time to play around with these over Christmas I hope.