matt denison
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2004
- Messages
- 1,786
- Reaction score
- 14
Right, wrong and close.
I'm holding Curly's original fox stamp in my hand while typing this. (it is broken so not used anymore) That fox is close to Curly's but not the same under high magnification. I poached the picture posted here, loaded it on my computer and enlarged it, also the picture showing the lock. Here's what I think and know.
1. The fox stamp is upside down, crooked and facing backwards. That is totally screwed up. Would Curly make a mistake like that? Not likely.
2. The "RW" stamp (Richard Wilson who supplied many of the barrels on trade guns back in the day) is also turned backward and lacks the "*" star above it like was done and seen on many many trade gun barrels - another big mistake.
3. The sunken oval "crown over P" stamp is, well just wrong. It should be a "crown over GP". Somebody screwed up when they concieved that stamp but used it anyway.
4. The crossed septors stamp is accurate and I have the same stamp that Curly used and they are the same or very similar. HOWEVER. Curly had that stamp made to use on the Officer's Model Musket in 1992 so it doesn't fit the TOW description of his early gun barrels.
5. As Santabob said earlier, Curly used a system to taper the web of the breech plug. I still do that to this day. It is an integral part of breeching and machining our barrels. The breech plug on this barrel is not machined that way.
6. The diimentions given don't make sense when compared to how Curly made his barrels to fit in our pre carved stocks.
There is something fishy about this barrel, where it came from, who made it, who had those stamps made and stamped the barrel. This re-enforces the adage that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing". The stamps appear to be randomly strewn about, half correct, including the small crown on the underside of the barrel. Is that someone's cartouche?
After a close look at the lock I'd like to say that Curly never used a lock like that one with that style plate (one piece) and that cock. That frizz. spring looks like one from a LOTT lock, can't be sure. The Grice stamp seals it, he never (to my knowledge) used a stamp like that and fer sher not on a trade gun.
I hope I don't sound like I am lecturing, I don't mean to. Just trying to clear things up.
I'm holding Curly's original fox stamp in my hand while typing this. (it is broken so not used anymore) That fox is close to Curly's but not the same under high magnification. I poached the picture posted here, loaded it on my computer and enlarged it, also the picture showing the lock. Here's what I think and know.
1. The fox stamp is upside down, crooked and facing backwards. That is totally screwed up. Would Curly make a mistake like that? Not likely.
2. The "RW" stamp (Richard Wilson who supplied many of the barrels on trade guns back in the day) is also turned backward and lacks the "*" star above it like was done and seen on many many trade gun barrels - another big mistake.
3. The sunken oval "crown over P" stamp is, well just wrong. It should be a "crown over GP". Somebody screwed up when they concieved that stamp but used it anyway.
4. The crossed septors stamp is accurate and I have the same stamp that Curly used and they are the same or very similar. HOWEVER. Curly had that stamp made to use on the Officer's Model Musket in 1992 so it doesn't fit the TOW description of his early gun barrels.
5. As Santabob said earlier, Curly used a system to taper the web of the breech plug. I still do that to this day. It is an integral part of breeching and machining our barrels. The breech plug on this barrel is not machined that way.
6. The diimentions given don't make sense when compared to how Curly made his barrels to fit in our pre carved stocks.
There is something fishy about this barrel, where it came from, who made it, who had those stamps made and stamped the barrel. This re-enforces the adage that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing". The stamps appear to be randomly strewn about, half correct, including the small crown on the underside of the barrel. Is that someone's cartouche?
After a close look at the lock I'd like to say that Curly never used a lock like that one with that style plate (one piece) and that cock. That frizz. spring looks like one from a LOTT lock, can't be sure. The Grice stamp seals it, he never (to my knowledge) used a stamp like that and fer sher not on a trade gun.
I hope I don't sound like I am lecturing, I don't mean to. Just trying to clear things up.
