Smoothbores in the Colonies

[Alden]

From the NRA's American Made Muskets of the Revolution

No. 2: A Club Butt Country Fowler, c. 1715-1750
Although technically a hunting gun with the fore-end of its maple stock reaching to the muzzle of a European barrel, this family fowler, which omits all but the basic components, is typical of many of the existing arms carried into the field by the American forces early in the Revolution and by the militia throughout the war. Its stock is the popular civilian club butt form, but the non-essential buttplate, escutcheon, sideplate, raised carving and bottom ramrod pipe are not included. The Queen Anne period, three-screw flat lock design with its reinforced cock has an unbalanced profile which suggests possible Colonist manufacture. An uneven, hand-forged iron trigger guard, however, is obviously American-made. The wooden rammer is secured in two upper, sheet-brass thimbles.

Length: 60"
Lock: 7"x1-1⁄8"
Furniture: Brass/Iron
Barrel: 45", .70 cal.
Trigger Guard: 7-1⁄8"
Weight: 7.5 lbs


It inspired my 42" 12 ga. fowler which is actually walnut.

 

[Ken Cormier]

WOW I Want one thanks Alden

 

[okawbow]

There's plenty of "curly maple" in Europe and Asia also. Most violins made in Europe had backs, necks, and sides of curly maple. I think there were a couple different species used. European maple is closer to red maple in hardness.

 

[nhmoose]

Not intended for the poster quoted.

IMHO hardwood in NE was used for firewood, pines were for building and masts.

Most hard maples in NE had great curl and still do but as then, same as today most are cut and split for firewood.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Sugar maple quartersawn is "tiger maple". And like others have said - it doesn't have to ne maple.

I have a hunting recurve bow made of Sheuda [also called Ovangkol] from 1965 that has lovely tiger stripe.

 

[Ike Godsey]

So what you guys sayin is that a "stocker" or gunmaker went out in the woods, cuts trees saw them to those pieces he needed an let it dry for an amount of time, all this, not knowing if the wood has curls or not.

and if he makes a gunstock, it could turn out to be more or less "curly".

Did I understand this correctly?

Ike :hmm:

 

[thecapgunkid]

Zonie has a good post here, and I found what he is writing about to be key when working with wood. IN another post about knife handles, I put in this picture of a couple of sixgun stocks I made.

I bought a small board of curly maple off E-bay about a half inch thick because all I wanted were stocks for knives and guns;

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When tracing out my pattern, I specified to the wood shop how I wanted the curl to run diagonally. When I got the cut pieces back, the curl ran straight up and down. I complained, and the woodworker pointed out that the grain ran diagonally, and that was the first time I heard that ( as Zonie wrote here ) there was even a big difference.

I told you that part so's I could tell you this...

Check out the Hershel House Video and he has a section on carving and shaping the stock and he specifies that difference when he is carving the butt stock area.

There is also a couple of good posts about procuring materials and the impact of trade patterns on guns and gunstocks.

Until I became a Cordwainer, I did not realize how dominant the impact of Mercantilism was on the colonial economy. It drove how the shoemakers managed their businesses, and I cannot imagine rifle makers without being influenced by this on everything they did. Wallace Gusler's video points out the impact of laws and trade on brass and Roger Sherman, for example, did not get wealthy making shoes. He got his fingers into the trade routes and system up to and including some handy smuggling.

 

[B.Habermehl]

Actually you can see if a log is curly as soon as the bark is peeled off. Some times you can see curl with the bark on, this will be big wide curl though. BJH

 

[Alden]

Not a SAA fan butt, LOL, those are fitting examples of wood and metal!

 

[Artificer]

Ike,

Though 17th century drawings in the following link are for turning trees into planks or boards, things didn't change much until the end of the 18th century in the colonies.

B.Habermehl already mentioned you can see the curl when the bark is cut off and more curl could be seen in the period when the logs were hewed square with an adze. See the photo "Hewing a log with an Adze" in this link:
http://www.timberframe-tools.com/tool-history/early-american-lumbe/

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Ike,

A little more information on how gun stockers and gunsmiths got their wood to make stocks.

Depending on the time period and geographic location, gunsmiths and gun stockers may not (and often did not) own land, from which they could fell trees to make gun stocks. So like other tradesmen who worked in wood, they often bought the planks of wood to make gun stocks. Then they set them up to air dry with small sticks between the planks to allow air to get all around the planks.

Land owners who had trees cut down and sawyers who pit sawed the logs, no doubt knew to look for curly wood as it could be sold for more money to furniture makers, instrument makers, gunsmiths and other tradesmen. So no doubt when curly wood and especially really highly figured curly wood was found, these tradesmen were asked if they wanted or needed any. Of course, sometimes land owners had logs sawn and they air dryed the wood and then sold it to tradesmen for more money because the wood could be used right away.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Oops, too late to P.S. the post above.

There were probably times that customers supplied the wood for the stocks to gunsmiths and stockers for guns/stocks to be made for the customers, as well.

Gus

 

[Cheape]

This thread reminds me of something Nicolas Denys wrote in 1672 in his "Description and Natural History of The Coasts of North America (Acadia)" of black birch used as stocks, to whomever it may interest.

"The Black Birch [Mignogon in Micmac] is a kind of Birch, but its wood is redder. From it also one can make good planking and it does not split too much. It is used for the stocks of muskets. It would be good to place as the deck ribs of a ship..."

Page 431 , chapter 20 "The description of all the kinds of woods which are inland; their characteristics, and the advantages which can be derived from them" in THIS free ebook. Good read.

Unfortunately, he doesn't elaborate on any more, but it is interesting enough he stated that black birch IS used for musket stocks, and this in 1672, writing of his experiences there since 1632. Black birch only being found on the Eastern seaboard of North America at the time, food for thought.

 

[Stumpkiller]

My father-in-law was and brother-in-law is a cabinetmaker. I helped in the shop with both of them. When a log is ripped it can be done certain ways. If you want the tigerstriping that is quarter sawn. But, being a natural grown product, some is better than others. Depends on the tree. You get less off the log that way but the results will be the striped grain. Lower in the trunk near the roots gets the burl and marbled patterns.

When the truckload of planks came into the shop the ones with great figure were side-lined for special use - like tabletops or drawer faces.

If you are buying already rough-cut planks you will know before planing or further finishing which ones may produce the best figure. A little water snaps out the figure even before it is rough finished.

I believe past practice was much like current. A sawmill produces planks based on the logs available and then grades them once cut. A gunsmith would order what was wanted. But in some cases certainly a smith or guild had the equipment to cut their own planks from logs. It would depend a lot on what was available locally and at what price.

The cherry stocked rifle in my signature was from a tree cut off the gunsmith's own property and he forged the iron furniture himself from old silo bands.

 

[Artificer]

Thank you for your post. I found it VERY interesting. I knew even British Military Muskets of this period were stocked in both Birch and Walnut, but I did not know some of the Birch wood came from North America.

That is a NEAT tidbit of information!!

Gus

 

[rich pierce]

Howdy,

I am thinking of the use of ”žolder smoothbores“ in the colonies. Meaning weapons, which have been made maybe in 1720 or so, made by gunsmiths in the colonies, used as a hunting/militia weapon and then, given to the next generation(s) in the family.

I have seen some very beautiful weapons during my internet search, some them used “Curly Maple” wood for the stock.

So I have some questions that the Internet left unanswered, but I know, here are many experts”¦

Is curly maple widely used in the colonies for fowler stocks, prior to the 1730s?

If an “average” citizen in the colonies, member of its milita, would he have such a gun with that type of stockwood?

Or would cherry for a stock be a better choise?

Thank you in advance,
Ike :hatsoff:

Great questions. A lot of information has been given on curly maple. Here is what I've observed and thought about regarding your questions. I will number these thoughts (not facts) to make discussion easier.

1. A gunsmith's duties here in the colonies, in addition to general repairs, included A) re-stocking guns that were broken, B) making new guns from collected old parts and some new parts, and C) making new guns from new components.

2. Colonial furniture makers had already figured out which woods were available and suitable for certain purposes. Cherry, American Black Walnut, and curly maple were commonly used in colonial furniture.

3. For earliest, Europen trained gunsmiths, there may have been a tendency to work with woods similar to those in Europe, and this may explain the prevalence of black walnut stocked guns in the earliest years of colonial gunmaking.

4. If we look at Hudson Valley fowling pieces and New England fowling pieces, which were the first purpose-made guns produced in any quantities in the colonies, American Black Walnut was used in the earliest years, but seldom after 1750. The proportion of Hudson Valley fowling pieces stocked in curly maple seems to have become nearly 100% by 1760. We can suppose this was due to its popularity and attractiveness. Cherry was used from the earliest years on both in New England and in the Hudson Valley but persisted longer in New England.

5. Some of the earliest, undated colonial built rifles were stocked in American Black Walnut, perhaps mimicking European rifles. After the Revolutionary War and until curly maple became scarcer, far fewer American longrifles were stocked in walnut or cherry. Straight or curly maple were preferred.

6. The few early existing gunsmith inventories, such as the one at Christians Spring near Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, mention a variety of woods used for stocking including birch, maple, and walnut. This was in the 1760s.

7. Moving on from what woods gunsmiths were using, comes the question about what the average colonial was carrying. Huge numbers of old and obsolete, as well as new inexpensive guns were being sent here by the Dutch, French, and English during colonial periods. Labor in Europe was less expensive than here, and the mother countries encouraged the colonies to purchase, not make, finished goods. We note that a moderate number of specialty guns were made here: Hudson Valley and New England fowling pieces, as well as a lesser number of British-styled fowling pieces, and rifles. Unless one was a water fowler in the Hudson Valley or New England, or a rifleman, the average colonial probably carried a gun made in Europe for militia duty and general use from the earliest years through the 1760s.

 

[Artificer]

Great info and I appreciate how you presented it in chronological order. Thank you!! :hatsoff:

Gus

 

[George]

FWIW:

"The South Carolina Gazette
June 1, 1745
Charleston, South Carolina
Whereas there were 300 Muskets and Bayonets brought over from Great Britain in the Alaborough Man of War. This is to give Notice the same are to be sold by Mr. Commissary Dart, at his House, at the Rate of 12 l. Currency each Musket and Bayonet. They are fine Arms, have double Bridle Locks, and Walnut Tree Stocks."

Peter Kalm, Travels in North America pg 255: June, 1749 at Albany "We lodged with a gunsmith, who told us, that the best charcoals for the forge were made of the Black Pine. The next in goodness, in his opinion, were charcoals, made of the Beech-tree.
The best and dearest stocks for his muskets were made of the wood of the wild Cherry-tree; and next to these he valued those of the Red Maple most. They scarce make use of any other wood for this purpose. The black Walnut-tree affords excellent wood for stocks; but it does not grow in the neighbourhood of Albany."

"The Pennsylvania Gazette
October 25, 1759
Paxton, Lancaster County, October 4, 1759. Borrowed or stolen, out of the House of John Harris, of Paxton Township, Lancaster County, a certain Gun, stocked with wild red Cherry Tree, about four Feet long in the Barrel, near one Foot next the Breech square, and the other Parts of the Barrel filed round,"

"The South-Carolina GAZETTE
Date: October 9, 1762
JOHN DODD
CHARLES-TOWN
ACQUAINTS his friends and Customers that he is removed a little higher in the same street. near the White Meeting, at the sign of the guns and pistols, where all gentlemen that please to employ him will be faithfully served, and with quick dispatch.
N.B. He has the best new spare barrels to suit any gun, and the best of curled walnut for stocks, and hopes for the continuance of his friend's favours."

"The South-Carolina GAZETTE
February 25, 1764
JOHN DODD, Gunsmith,
CHARLES-TOWN
BEST Dutch rifles , with moulds and wipes, flat rifle locks, from 20 sh. to £5. round ditto, brass mountings for ditto, a variety of smooth bore barrels, which, with sundry other articles in the gunsmiths way, he will sell cheap, at his shop in Meeting-street.
N.B. Said Dodd is in want of 4 or 500 feet of WALNUT PLANK, from two inches and an half, to three inches thickness, for which Nine Pounds per hundred will be given, delivered at any wharf in Charles-Town."

"The Pennsylvania Gazette
November 25, 1772
FOUR DOLLARS Reward. LOST”¦. a strong board CASE, without mark or direction, inclosing a very neat new FOWLING PIECE, 4 feet 2 inches in the barrel, 5 feet 5 inches the whole length of the gun, with a curled walnut stock, sliding loops, mounted with brass, the foresight and thumb piece silver, the maker’s name John Newcomer,"

Firearms of the American West 1803-1865 by Garavaglia & Worman: In October of 1825 William B. Astor wrote Henry, "on the subject of Rifles. ”¦.- The stocks are generally of our native Maple, or Sugar-tree, but we may wish part of them of Black Walnut."

Spence

 

[Ike Godsey]

super informations thank you. :bow:

Ike

 

[Dphar]

First. Nobody knows exactly what a 1730s American made gun/rifle would look like. SFAIK there are no examples that can be confirmed as American made.
Second. Curly "Sugar Tree" wood was widely used for gunstocks in America. Both smoothbores and rifles.
Third. There was a lot of wood imported into Europe from America which means that a European made gun could have an American Maple stock.

For an early cheap smoothbore for a Colonial get a musket. Most people had little real use for a gun other than for militia service and muskets were cheap. So while there were a lot of them, in many cases they never got used other than for meeting militia requirements and were often scraped when they were no longer of any use.
I also suspect that a lot of European made guns were restocked in America after the stocks were broken.
If someone wants to know what the guns of the late 17th and early 18th C. look like can look to Lenk's "The Flintlock". Some of the late 17th/early 18th C guns look very "modern". And remember that the Gunsmiths that came here were products of the European Guild system. Some Journeymen level gunsmiths worked as armorers for the Military. Some of these guys arrived in America. They had been trained and then journeyed to different countries expanding their knowledge. They were highly skilled. So one would think that an American gun of 1720 would look virtually identical to one of 1700+- Europe. But for the most part they would be stocked with American wood and curly maple was, and still is, a strong beautiful wood for gunstocks. So... Yes early American guns were surely stocked in maple and some were surely curly.
Since they had it, it was good for the purpose, so they not only could have used it, they surely did. If you require iron clad documentation for an 1730s American guns stocked in Curly Maple then you need to get real since SFAIK there is not such documentation.

Dan