The missing link.How many exist?

[arilar]

Found this two examples from when flintlock transformed into percussion. In my country very hard to find untouched. Actually a German wheellock maybe 20 times easier to find (and also 20 times more expensive). Are they more common in the "New World"? :hmm:

Regards,
ARILAR :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[musketman]

Found this two examples from when flintlock transformed into percussion. Are they more common in the "New World"? :hmm:

Prior to the American Civil War, many flintlocks were converted to the percussion system, some just like what you shown, others removed the frizzen and pan and replaced the hammer to a percussion type and welded over the vent and installed a nipple through the barrel...

I found shows some of the conversions that were done while searching the web:

 

[Lone Carabiner]

Bliimmee- nevar seen such! Ingenious and wonderbar. :bow:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Thats one way, appears to have been efficient too.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[redwing]

I recall seeing a conversion like that some years ago. It was a very nice old CW smooth bore. The gun was marked Savage Arms. I don't know if that contractor was the Savage Arms of today. I never checked it out.

 

I thought you were talking about sub-humans. I know that the missing link exists. One married my sister and drinks all my beer when he comes over.

 

[arilar]

Found this two examples from when flintlock transformed into percussion. Are they more common in the "New World"? :hmm:

others removed the frizzen and pan and replaced the hammer to a percussion type and welded over the vent and installed a nipple through the barrel...

Well Musketman, that is my point (I think). The "style" (dont know the term for it, not even in Swedish) I am wondering about is the one that hasnt been replaced by the percussion-style hammer. My feeling is that rather few exist with flintlock-hammer still in place. About a year ago I recall TOTW had a beatiful replica of one of this. I dont know how to find it in archives. Any one know about more guns of this style?
Regards,
ARILAR :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Got to admit, that's a different twist on converting flint to percussion, and a dog-lock as well! Sure saved on having to make a new hammer! The European gunsmiths sure had a different way to go at things. Thanks for showing the guns you find. Wes

 

[Gary]

Thank you for sharing those photos arilar. I couldn't help stop from laughing when I saw those conversions. They are indeed a missing link from the past. :rotf:

 

[renovato]

Those are fascinating conversion, Arilar. Thanks for posting them. I agree that the smiths took a different approach. A simpler and more logical one. Though they sure do look odd somehow.

 

[Deadeye]

It's not that uncommon around here, I've seen several shooters using flinters that were converted that way, just screw in a drum and nipple, clamp a block of steel in the jaws and your converted.

 

[Stophel]

I have a New England rifle about 1810 converted the same way. It's not the normal way, but it was done from time to time. The top jaw and nipple hitting thingy I THINK are all brass brazed together. I'd have to really clean it off to tell for sure, and I don't want to do that. I'm not at home now, so don't know the exact address, but you can see it SOMEWHERE on this photo album [url] http://photobucket.com/albums/v326/Fatdutchman/Original Flintlocks[/url]

There are several pages to look through. Feel free to browse.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Chris its the "New England rifle, ca. 1810 lock marked "W&G CHANCE" gun and it is very interesting. Second New England gun I have seen converted that way, the first being in a coffee table book I havn't seen since the '70s. There was also a US Musket, called a M1795 but it could have been a 1794 contract gun for sale in a recent Julia (I think) auction that was converted in the same way, I can't find it now but I did print it out so if I can get use of a scanner I will try to get a picture up. This type of conversion is very simple and was probably quite common. I have a feeling that the reason we don't see more of them is because it looks like it may be a fragile conversion that could cause the hammer to break pretty easily? Anyway, thanks arilar for showing us these fascinating conversion examples. :applause:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Okay, here is a link to the conversion I mentioned above:

http://67.155.195.3:8050/FMPro?-db=GMA_Inventory.fp5&-format=inv_detail.html&-lay=web&-RecID=48616&-Find

It appears to be a M1795 US musket made by one of the early contractors. Conversion is of course civilian.

 

[arilar]

Thanks for digging that example up!!
Well, here are some more pics of my two dinosaurs.
The top one having a barrel from a Swedish musket m.1725 and lock is from musket m.1747!!

This compares the converted m.1747-lock from a genuin not altered 1747 (photo taken slightly from top-above. The two locks has actually the same size)

Rearsight from the musket

and rearsight and muzzle from the lower rifle in the top picture. This rifle has good potential to soon be a shooter!

Regards,
ARILAR :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

They are beautiful, thanks for posting the pictures, especially the details of the sights, very interesting way of installing the rear sight on the musket. I have often wondered if the reason why we don't see more of this method of conversion using the flint cock is because it does not stand up as well to the pounding it would get from hitting the cone? :hmm: