Tulle in 1760's Virginia Valley

[Mike Brooks]

Here is a question, how hard would it be to modify a Tulle kit to closely match a type G? Could a fellow order the proper components for the G from the rifle shop, and modify the Tulle stock? As stated before the typical kits leave quite a bit of wood on which could be used to change the form some. Just thinking out loud, Matt

Matt,
The Tulle stocks have too much "roman nose" to be useable, besides, the lock would be wrong and the barrel too short. TRS , as far as I know has no type "G" hardware available.

The top gun in the opictures you posted has a germanic siler lock and a rifle buttplate, so that isn't going to cut the mustard if you want an english fowler.
The second gun is a form of an english trade gun. Not much is known about the lower gun. Hamilton calls it an "Chiefs grade fusil" . he also states "The conclusion is inescapable that these were from an english gun of the late 18th century" (he was talking about dug parts identicle to the one you pictured) He also states " Beacause the biutt[plate design is so similar to one variation of the type "D" , it seems that the english, in consolidating their hold on the indian trade following the fall of new france, deliberately brought out a gun in imitation of popular french pattern".
We can only conclude this gun is post F&I war from this information.

 

[MSzychulda]

Mike, what are your views on the accuracy of the Chambers Pennsylvania Fowler for being a correct fowler? It does not appear to me to be an imported fowler (from what little I have experience with), so would a walnut or a plain maple stock be more correct with that gun? This is the other gun I really like, and several have recomended to me. It may be more correct for my persona if I outfitted it correctly (brass?).

I saw your New England Fowler on another post. Very nice! I think the Pennsylvania Fowler
is very similar with the 20 guage barrel. I emailed Chambers and they said they had plain walnut and maple avaliable.

Would you consider this a colonial built gun, or an imported gun? Also do you like the Chamber kits?

The English Fowler/Officers Fusil kit looks nice, but I favor the longer barrels.


Thanks

 

[Stophel]

Would the bottom gun be more in line if the triggerguard (and trigger) were of the more normal English variety, and perhaps with something like a simple, nailed-on buttplate? (what's the deal with the French buttplate on this gun!?!?!?)

 

[Mike Brooks]

Mike, what are your views on the accuracy of the Chambers Pennsylvania Fowler for being a correct fowler? It does not appear to me to be an imported fowler (from what little I have experience with), so would a walnut or a plain maple stock be more correct with that gun? This is the other gun I really like, and several have recomended to me. It may be more correct for my persona if I outfitted it correctly (brass?).

I saw your New England Fowler on another post. Very nice! I think the Pennsylvania Fowler
is very similar with the 20 guage barrel. I emailed Chambers and they said they had plain walnut and maple avaliable.

Would you consider this a colonial built gun, or an imported gun? Also do you like the Chamber kits?

The English Fowler/Officers Fusil kit looks nice, but I favor the longer barrels.


Thanks

The chambers fowler in walnut would be an excellent choice and would represent a F&I war period imported english gun. In maple this would be considered a colonial built/restocked gun.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Would the bottom gun be more in line if the triggerguard (and trigger) were of the more normal English variety, and perhaps with something like a simple, nailed-on buttplate? (what's the deal with the French buttplate on this gun!?!?!?)

Actually the bottom pictured gun is in line with an unusual chiefs grade trade type gun, post F&I war. From my qoute of Hamilton above, I don't think he really knows what to think of this gun, and I really don't know how it fits into the scheme of things either, other than it was a pattern that was made specificaly for formerly french allied natives that were used to french styled guns and didn't care for the english buttstock style. I don't believe it was produced for a long period of time, athough there is some archeological evidence of it as well as a couple surviving guns. The trigger guard is right as rain, as the HBC was using the exact same trigger guard on their north west guns, as well as the same barrel, lock and sideplate. That french styled buttplate is a real eye popper isn't it? :shocked2:

 

[MSzychulda]

Thanks for the advise Mike. Everyone has really helped me in making a PC decision. I think I will go with the Chambers fowler with walnut and brass. It just feels right to be correct, and as you said not to have to form a story. Maybe one day I will still get a Fusil simply to hunt and shoot with, but for re-enacting I will stay with the common, hence safe decision. Matt

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I don't recall Marquette's English guns reference, just that they were obtained from Europeans. But you are likely correct, as the Spanish were always fearful of the Indians obtaining guns and forbade such trade, that would leave only the English to the east.

Forty years later Etienne Venard de Bourgmont in his "Exact Description Of Louisiana" 1712-14 noted on his trip up the Mississippi River from Mobile to the Missouri River Pawnee (who carried on trade with the Spanish out of Santa Fe) country, that almost all the Indians were armed with guns, traded with and were friendly allies to the French. Any that did not have guns he referred to them as using only the bow and arrow. This to me, would infer many of the guns they possessed by then were of French origin.

Fascinating reading for the early European history of North America, the more I do, the more I have to cast aside what I thought I knew of it.

The English at Jamestown were so lazy they trained the Indians in the use of firearms and hired them to do their hunting and fowling for them. These actions angered as well as astounded John Smith at how fast the Indians became the experts with guns, far surpassing their teachers in their use.