Traditional M/L Guns from Afghanistan

rickystl · Jan 22, 2023

A SABRE HANGER FOR A PULWUR OR OTHER SWORD...

rickystl · Jan 22, 2023

A IRON FIRE STRIKER WITH IT'S LEATHER POUCH...

rickystl · Jan 22, 2023

DECORATIVE MATCHING MEDIUM AND SMALL POUCHES. INSIDE ONE POUCH WERE TWO PIECES OF OLD LINED FABRIC AND A FLINT FOR FIRE MAKING....

rickystl · Jan 22, 2023

A DECORATED LEATHER PIECE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS REPRESENTS. BUT IT SURE LOOKS COOL WITH THE WHOLE ENSEMBLE. LOL

Pukka Bundook · Jan 23, 2023

You will be aware what the gourd -like powder flasks are made from , Rick!

Good and rather rare collection there!

rickystl · Jan 24, 2023

Pukka Bundook said:
You will be aware what the gourd -like powder flasks are made from , Rick!

Good and rather rare collection there!

LOL!!! I believe that gord is even a bit to large for a camel (?)

Rick

rickystl · Jan 24, 2023

Here is another Jazail from my collection. This one is a smooth bore. It's decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays, which seemed to be one of the favorites with these guns. Still has an old museum tag on the butt. It's missing three small inlays I need to replace. Genuine British EIC lock in working order. The bore looks good enough that with a good cleaning it could still shoot. Rest of the gun still needs cleaned.

Rick

rickystl · Jan 24, 2023

MORE PICS.....

cyten · Jan 25, 2023

The triggerguard is interesting. Do you find it adds any kind of comfort or change from your other Jezail?

This rifle is Persian design but was made in Afghanistan and gifted to Habibullah Khan the Amir of Afghanistan and dated 1906-1907

Flint62Smoothie · Jan 25, 2023

Here's my Mother of Pearl heavily decorated 'Jezail'. I noticed Risk started this topic out calling them a 'jazail', but I see them referred to as jezail (some use jezzail, which is Pashto جزائل, or ultimately from the plural form Arabic: جزایل, for long [barrels).

I LOVE the cannon muzzle of this 45-cal rifle! I have to wonder if this one wreaked havoc on the Brits (with Brown Bess muskets) when they got slaughtered from the Afghans firing down on them from up high on their hills ...

Flint62Smoothie · Jan 25, 2023

HOLY SMOKES!

This is sooooo darn F R A G I L E that just in taking these photos ... 3 pieces of the MoP fell off! Just by 'carefully' placing it on the floor and turning 'gently' to pose it for photos. Now where is my super glue ...

rickystl · Jan 25, 2023

cyten said:
The triggerguard is interesting. Do you find it adds any kind of comfort or change from your other Jezail?

This rifle is Persian design but was made in Afghanistan and gifted to Habibullah Khan the Amir of Afghanistan and dated 1906-1907
View attachment 192901

Trigger guards (if they have one) on these jazails vary greatly. Sometimes locally made as on Flint's gun. Other times they show up with a brass/iron guard savaged from some other European gun, or bought from some trade fair.

I've seen one other Jazail that was pearl decorated, but built with a Persian style butt stock. Just goes to show how much cross-culture existed between the regions during this period.

Rick

rickystl · Jan 25, 2023

Flint62Smoothie said:
Here's my Mother of Pearl heavily decorated 'Jezail'. I noticed Risk started this topic out calling them a 'jazail', but I see them referred to as jezail (some use jezzail, which is Pashto جزائل, or ultimately from the plural form Arabic: جزایل, for long [barrels).

I LOVE the cannon muzzle of this 45-cal rifle! I have to wonder if this one wreaked havoc on the Brits (with Brown Bess muskets) when they got slaughtered from the Afghans firing down on them from up high on their hills ...

View attachment 192993 View attachment 192994 View attachment 192995 View attachment 192996 View attachment 192997 View attachment 192998 View attachment 192999

Flint: That is a good looking Jazail. (Yes, I've probably been spelling it wrong for 30+ years. LOL). A couple things I've noticed: The barrel appears octagon at the breech, tapering round, and ending in a nice octagon swell at the muzzle. The barrels on both I posted above are a simple taper round with slight swells at the muzzle. Also, it appears your lock is a three-screw mount. Correct ?

Rick

Flint62Smoothie · Jan 25, 2023

rickystl said:
Flint: That is a good looking Jazail. Also, it appears your lock is a three-screw mount. Correct ?

The lock must be from another or previous arm? At the tail you can see a bolt tip flush to the lockplate, but on the other side only the middle and forward lock bolts are used.

... and now - just by turning it over to look - there are 3 more pieces of MoP on the floor! Yeesh!

This is my favorite original arm, what with the barrel, cannon muzzle and decorations ... but far too fragile to shoot! Not due to the metal ... but I'd have MoP flying off all over the place ... !

rickystl · Jan 25, 2023

Flint62Smoothie said:
HOLY SMOKES!

This is sooooo darn F R A G I L E that just in taking these photos ... 3 pieces of the MoP fell off! Just by 'carefully' placing it on the floor and turning 'gently' to pose it for photos. Now where is my super glue ...

View attachment 193000

DARN!!! That black colored substance they often used on these Jazails is strange. They even used it under their barrel bands it often appears. But like other glues, it eventually ages. The best adheasive I've found to replace the inlays is black silicone. It never hardens to the point of not being able to easily remove it soon/later if you make a mistake. Mother of pearl in thin sheets/pieces is easily available today from vendors that supply parts for making/decorating guitars. So you can make new, additional inlays if desired.
Just purchase the silicone, a jeweler's saw and file set. Use a small gouge to remove most of the old, brittle glue. Place a drop ot two in the inlay mortise, and press the inlay in place. Let sit over night. It will hold.

Rick

rickystl · Jan 25, 2023

Flint62Smoothie said:
The lock must be from another or previous arm? At the tail you can see a bolt tip flush to the lockplate, but on the other side only the middle and forward lock bolts are used.

... and now - just by turning it over to look - there are 3 more pieces of MoP on the floor! Yeesh!

This is my favorite original arm, what with the barrel, cannon muzzle and decorations ... but far too fragile to shoot! Not due to the metal ... but I'd have MoP flying off all over the place ... !

That's the problem I have with the mosaic on my Persian gun. Sounds like it may be a job for the can of spray adhesive (?)

Rick

Flint62Smoothie · Jan 25, 2023

Good tip on the black silicone! Thanks Rick!

I also already bought a box of MoP pieces from eBay years ago, plus have a small container of pieces that came with it when purchased from the Seller.

I think I only paid $125 for it … not too bad, huh?

This will be the 1st arm that I restore … once I retire that is!

rickystl · Jan 25, 2023

Flint62Smoothie said:
Good tip on the black silicone! Thanks Rick!

I also already bought a box of MoP pieces from eBay years ago, plus have a small container of pieces that came with it when purchased from the Seller.

I think I only paid $125 for it … not too bad, huh?

This will be the 1st arm that I restore … once I retire that is!

The work is a bit tedious, but once you get the hang of the inlays, it goes faster.

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-313...locphy=9022811&hvtargid=pla-450800338311&th=1

rickystl · Jan 27, 2023

Here is another Jazeil. This one is heavily decorated in brass, but with a decorated iron trigger guard. A genuine British EIC lock of a bit earlier flat-face vintage and dated 1799. What makes this example especially interesting is that it was built using a fluted Omani style barrel. Probably from a matchlock. It's smooth bore.