Pecatonica Tulle

[BillinOregon]

Building one of these kits is pretty high on my list. Anyone else assemble Pecatonica's Tulle? Is the L&R Early Flint lock grossly inappropriate? I am just too much of a klutz to fully inlet a lock. Also assume Walnut is the only "authentic" choice for stocking a Tulle.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Walnut is the only way to go. The L&R trade lock is a little small, but there aren't many other options. I have no idea what hardware they're using nor the stock archetecture, so can't make a full recomendation.

 

[ktw]

The L&R trade lock is a little small, but there aren't many other options.

Track of the Wolf has 4 tulle kits. The ones listed as "Type C" and "Type D" come with locks that appear to be closer to correct than the L&R Trade lock (as far as I am able to tell, given my limited experience and comments made by others in other threads on this subject on this forum).

The catch is that they are only described as 'American made'. Anyone know who makes these and how they stack up functionally to the L&R/Chambers/RE Davis locks?

-ktw

 

[dkloos]

I built one of these kits from Pecatonica. It was tons of fun. It was also my first kit gun that I ever built, and it came out very nice if I do say so. Only thing I can recommend are that you make sure that they have every part in stock before shipping it. When I got mine, they were going to send the trigger and guard the following week as they were outta stock. Here I am, four months later, still no original guard or trigger. Needless to say, I ordered these from a seperate source after the first month went by.

 

[dkloos]

And in response to KTW - after about a twelve shots, my lock failed. The catch on the tumbler for the 'full cock' position was barely even there, so the gun wouldn't engage into full cock. I had to file this catch down and re-harden it, an unnesessary task if you ask me.

 

[Mike Brooks]

The L&R trade lock is a little small, but there aren't many other options.

Track of the Wolf has 4 tulle kits. The ones listed as "Type C" and "Type D" come with locks that appear to be closer to correct than the L&R Trade lock (as far as I am able to tell, given my limited experience and comments made by others in other threads on this subject on this forum).

The catch is that they are only described as 'American made'. Anyone know who makes these and how they stack up functionally to the L&R/Chambers/RE Davis locks?

-ktw

Those "C&D" kits by TOW are totally wrong with those germanic banana shaped locks. Also, "C's & D's were not made by TULLE. C's & D's are for the most part, are low end fowling guns made for the colonial trade by St. Etien and Liege Belgium as well as other places. They are more acuuately described as "Fusil de trait", or "gun for trade". "TULLE's" are called Fusil de Chasse. Or "gun of the hunt" and were many times alliance gifts rather than for out right sale.
Those banana shaped locks Track uses in the historically inacurrate kits are made by the Mold & Gunshop and as far as I know function fine.

 

[ktw]

Those banana shaped locks Track uses in the historically inacurrate kits are made by the Mold & Gunshop and as far as I know function fine.

Thanks, Mike

Maybe you can help me with one other Tulle question...

Every "Tulle" kit I've run across, with the exception of one offering from track of the wolf in .58/24 gauge, has been a .62/20 gauge. Do you know of anyone else offering .54/28 or .58/24 "Tulle" kits or does that generally tend to be a "picking up parts one piece at a time" proposition?

Not hung up on the Tulle style, either. Would be interested in any relatively simple fowler kit for a beginning builder in 54/28 or 58/24

-ktw

 

[Mike Brooks]

Fusil de chasse made in TULLE were roughly 20 ga originally. I imagine that's why they're all available in that guage today.
You could probably have a barrel bored in a smaller caliber if you wanted, but it will weigh more....which isn't always a bad thing if you like to shoot RB accurately.

 

[Swampman]

Most of the balls recovered at Toulouse are about .58. I'm not sure if that is because they were using smaller bored muskets or if they used undersized balls to make them easier to load. "Type G" Trade Guns seem to have been in common use there if burial guns are an indicator. I'm not contradicting anything posted here just making some observations.

 

[Zonie]

The TOTW Type C fusil lock uses the same mainspring as the TOTW Jaeger which is made by Davis. Don't ask how I know this, but it did fit.

For what it's worth, the TOTW Type C lock is marked "Mauberg".

 

[fatboy]

If you ask TOW I think they are going to tell you that Davis makes both of those lock's :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

The bore tolerances of those guns was from .577 to .623 so historicaly the .58-.62 are correct, the L&R lock would likely represent a post 1745 or so the modified Davis Tulle lock would be closer to the earlier guns, the 44" barrel parts set from TOW is the closest thing going with some modifications of the cows foot style French Fusil....and "Tulle" is a town/armory not a type of gun FWIW, without the inscription some where on the gun (usually lockplate) the gun might be from one of many armories in France or Belgium just the shape does not make a gun one that came from the Tulle armory.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Bingo.

 

[BillinOregon]

So the Pecatonica kit with L&R Early Flint lock isn't totally wrong, just closer to F&I era?
The lock is my main concern, as I ahve heard some bad things about L&R quality control, but hear they usually want to make it right.

 

[benvenuto]

According to Bouchard, most (not all) of the Hunting guns were 28 balls to the French pound (24 gauge or .58). The theory being that the settlers would outrange the indians in case of any "differences of opinion".

For anyone who wants to do the math there are 489 grams in the old french pound, 453 in the english.

Divide 489 by the french calibre, then use google to convert grams into grains. Look in the back of the Dixie catalogue to find out what English gauge or calibre your ball is.

 

[kmeyer]

I just built my first Pecatonica kit this summer and it was a Tulle with L&R lock. I have not had any trouble with the lock. I know Walnut is pc, but I went with Maple. It's a great shooter. I couldn't be happier with it. Here it is:
[url] http://photobucket.com/albums/v719/kmeyer9/Guns/62cal Tulle[/url]/

 

[Mike Brooks]

So the Pecatonica kit with L&R Early Flint lock isn't totally wrong, just closer to F&I era?
The lock is my main concern, as I ahve heard some bad things about L&R quality control, but hear they usually want to make it right.

The last contract that TVLLE recieved to build Fusil De Chasse was the contact of 1749 (or was that 1734......?), so they all predate the F&I war.
I have used a fair number of L&R locks in my time. I would suggest having a spare set of springs, and maybe a tumbler and a sear around for spares. Once these locks get get thru their "break in" period they give years of dependable service.
I wouldn't be afraid of building a fusil de chasse around that L&R trade lock. I've always wondered tho, why they just didn't go ahead and make it the right size when they made it....odd... :hmm:

 

[Mike Brooks]

According to Bouchard, most (not all) of the Hunting guns were 28 balls to the French pound (24 gauge or .58). The theory being that the settlers would outrange the indians in case of any "differences of opinion".

For anyone who wants to do the math there are 489 grams in the old french pound, 453 in the english.

Divide 489 by the french calibre, then use google to convert grams into grains. Look in the back of the Dixie catalogue to find out what English gauge or calibre your ball is.

That's all very confusing, but .58 is the BALL SIZE they shot. They shot ball that were 28 balls to the livre in French pound weight.
The actual measured bore size of all the surviving Fusil De Chase are .61 to .63.

 

[BillinOregon]

KMeyer: Your Tulle is breathtaking. Thanks for the photo link. Do you consider yourself an experienced builder? Advanced hobbyist? Regular Joe? How did it go together for you? What was the hardest piece to fit or finish? Thanks if you can give any advice from a "been there, done that" perspective.

 

[kmeyer]

Thanks for the kind words. A few of the real experienced builders are probably getting a chuckle remembering how much they helped me on this one. That actually was my first real build. Back in 89', I did a CVA kit and a Traditions kit. When I received my parts I was afraid to even start as I knew I was gonna mess it up. After a couple days I just started real slowly. I took one step at a time and hit several what I thought was "major" roadblocks. The people on this board were so helpful though. Anytime I needed help the board was full of informative help. Between all the experience people here on this board,I don't think you could get in any jam that hasn't already happened to someone else. I am so thankful I took the plunge, as now I have found something fun that I plan to do till my sun goes down for good I now just finished my second gun. Here's a link to that as well.
[url] http://photobucket.com/albums/v719/kmeyer9/Guns/32cal Verner/[/url]

As far as hardest parts, I'd have to say fitting the entry thimble and inletting the fancy pewter decoration on the wrist. I did my second gun in about half the time and the patchbox was a complete pain in the tail. I bought parts now to do a Virgia rifle and a Lancaster rifle over the winter.