Trade Gun....its a done gun.
- Thread starter Joe Yanta
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Looks great, nice color to the stock with a nice satin finish. I do have one question and it will show my ignorance of rifles and the way they are made.
Was the trigger guard to be inlet or were they made with them mounted on top the wood. I am not bein' picky I was just curious. I certainly should not pick some ones work since I am to afraid to build a rifle.
Was the trigger guard to be inlet or were they made with them mounted on top the wood. I am not bein' picky I was just curious. I certainly should not pick some ones work since I am to afraid to build a rifle.
Guest
the ones ive seen and most shown in "the north west gun " are not inlet
very nice job Joe
very nice job Joe
Doc Arroyo
Greybeard
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 976
- Reaction score
- 9
Looks like a very nice job. Personally I like the smaller lock panels with a beaver tail finial like a Barnett gun had, but I have also seen originals with panels like yours. Did you nail or screw on the buttplate? Nice work! :thumbsup:
Thanks to all for your comments.
Griz, of all the pictures I have seen, the trigger guard has been of iron and screwed to the surface of the stock. I have on had the opprotunity to examine one original Trade Gun.
The original I looked at had a wopping 52" barrel. The barrel was swamped, looked to be about 24 gauge. The trigger guard was very typical of the Northwest gun, althought very thin. The serpent side plate was not inleted. Pictures of some side plates have clearly been inletted.
He is a picture of the left side of my gun.
I inletted my side plate about 1/16th of an inch.
Doc, I screwed by butt plate. After doing so I regretted it. I cant claim to be much of a blade smith when I have a garage full of forges and anvils. It would have been nice to say that I forged my nails for the job. I have been giving thought to contacting TVM, ordering a new butt plate and nailing the butt plate onto the stock.
I left the sight off until I go to my property in SE CO. After I get some idea of how it will shoot the sight will be silver soldered in place.
Your interest and comments are very appreciated, thank you.
Joe Yanta
Griz, of all the pictures I have seen, the trigger guard has been of iron and screwed to the surface of the stock. I have on had the opprotunity to examine one original Trade Gun.
The original I looked at had a wopping 52" barrel. The barrel was swamped, looked to be about 24 gauge. The trigger guard was very typical of the Northwest gun, althought very thin. The serpent side plate was not inleted. Pictures of some side plates have clearly been inletted.
He is a picture of the left side of my gun.
I inletted my side plate about 1/16th of an inch.
Doc, I screwed by butt plate. After doing so I regretted it. I cant claim to be much of a blade smith when I have a garage full of forges and anvils. It would have been nice to say that I forged my nails for the job. I have been giving thought to contacting TVM, ordering a new butt plate and nailing the butt plate onto the stock.
I left the sight off until I go to my property in SE CO. After I get some idea of how it will shoot the sight will be silver soldered in place.
Your interest and comments are very appreciated, thank you.
Joe Yanta
Howdy Joe -
VERY nicely done! This is a good representation of the trade guns i have been able to examine.
I had the opportunity to go through the "Museum of the Fur Trade" outside of Chadron, Nebraska 2 years ago. My Lovely Spousal Unit and I spent over half a day in their facility, and came out as members. Amongst other things, their display of original Trade Guns is considered one of the bes tin the world, and people come form all over to see it! The trade guns are racked up close to the glass, and you can get your nose inches away.
I seem to recall that there were examples with buttplates both nailed and screwed, as well as examples of "chiefs guns" and many different calibers, including the elusive (and sometimes denied) 12 bore. There was a note that the 12 bore trade gun may not have been common, but it certainly did exist, and they have examples to prove it.
If yoiu get the opportunity, by all means visit. Also, I think there may be examples at Bent's Old Fort .
best regards
Shunka
VERY nicely done! This is a good representation of the trade guns i have been able to examine.
I had the opportunity to go through the "Museum of the Fur Trade" outside of Chadron, Nebraska 2 years ago. My Lovely Spousal Unit and I spent over half a day in their facility, and came out as members. Amongst other things, their display of original Trade Guns is considered one of the bes tin the world, and people come form all over to see it! The trade guns are racked up close to the glass, and you can get your nose inches away.
I seem to recall that there were examples with buttplates both nailed and screwed, as well as examples of "chiefs guns" and many different calibers, including the elusive (and sometimes denied) 12 bore. There was a note that the 12 bore trade gun may not have been common, but it certainly did exist, and they have examples to prove it.
If yoiu get the opportunity, by all means visit. Also, I think there may be examples at Bent's Old Fort .
best regards
Shunka
Hi Shunka and thanks for the fine comments. Before I started building my gun I read absolutely everything I could find about the trade gun on the internet. I also bought every book I could find. The museum of the fur trade was referenced many times. The museum is not open until after Memorial Day '05. I will make a trip to visit it.
We have an antique gun dealer here in Denver that let me examine an original NW gun to my hearts content. He tells me there are trade guns in Trinidad, CO and I think it was the Kit Carson museum in Taos, NM. The Colorado State historical society is supposed to have some too. I was able to examine the Mariano Modena Hawken there back in the late 70's, huge rifle, like 1 3/16" across the flats.
The trade gun that the old collector and dealer had is a very unusual gun. It has a nailed on iron butt plate, a swamped barrel about 24 gauge and the barrel is 52" (I measured it twice) in length. I am not an expert on NW Trade Guns but I told the dealer I thought it was early 1700's and he concured. Since then, in one of my books, a 1693 inventory at either the Northwest company or the Hudson Bay company had seven "5 1/2 foot" trade guns which a 52 inch barrel would make.
I think just studying the Northwest Trade Gun would make a facinating hobby in itself.
Thanks for your interest.
Joe Yanta
We have an antique gun dealer here in Denver that let me examine an original NW gun to my hearts content. He tells me there are trade guns in Trinidad, CO and I think it was the Kit Carson museum in Taos, NM. The Colorado State historical society is supposed to have some too. I was able to examine the Mariano Modena Hawken there back in the late 70's, huge rifle, like 1 3/16" across the flats.
The trade gun that the old collector and dealer had is a very unusual gun. It has a nailed on iron butt plate, a swamped barrel about 24 gauge and the barrel is 52" (I measured it twice) in length. I am not an expert on NW Trade Guns but I told the dealer I thought it was early 1700's and he concured. Since then, in one of my books, a 1693 inventory at either the Northwest company or the Hudson Bay company had seven "5 1/2 foot" trade guns which a 52 inch barrel would make.
I think just studying the Northwest Trade Gun would make a facinating hobby in itself.
Thanks for your interest.
Joe Yanta
Similar threads
SOLD - Pending funds
Pedersoli Trade Gun, $725.Shipped
