Unusual Percussion Conversion

[rickystl]

Hello all. Just when I thought I'd seen all the different variations of converting a gun from flintlock to percussion, I ran across this:


There is basically no details in the description. But it appears that the battery of the frizzen was cut off, and a hole was drilled and tapped into the top of the pan cover, with a nipple added and a new hammer. The most unusual I've ever seen. :haha:
It would appear that you would still have to prime the pan? Don't know if the flash from the cap would travel sideways through the vent on the barrel for ignition?
Anyway, it is a clever way of converting. Thought you guys would like to see this. Rick. :hatsoff:

 

[Toomuch51]

Not sure you would necessarly have to prime the pan, should work either way.
It does make for an easy and safe method for converting back and forth as situation or preference demands.
:hatsoff: :hatsoff:

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[Len Graves]

I would like to think that if you filled the " pan" with prime it might tend to spit out the crack under the frizzen/ nipple. Even if the hammer was holding down the frizzen/ nipple. For hunting it would not matter but on the range who knows?

 

[frogwalking]

That is very innovative. If one primed the pan, which I think they would have, the hammer recess would probably hold the nipple and remaining portion of the frizzen down although some back pressure would certainly spray out from under the frizzen.

 

[Billnpatti]

When a cap is fired, does the flash go into the barrel to ignite the main charge as with a normal caplock or is it supposed to ignite a charge in the pan which in turn ignites the main charge? It is, indeed, an odd duck.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Gosh Darn, It reminds me a bit of an early system that used a flat percussion cap with a tail that was inserted into the touch hole. The hammer came down and smashed the flat percussion cap and injected the fire into the charge through the skinny tube inserted into the touch hole.

It would certainly be an easy conversion to use a Perc hammer and an extra frizzen cut off and tapped for the nipple.

 

[larry wv]

Interesting. :thumbsup: Thanks for the pix. Larry

 

[Wes/Tex]

I can honestly say I have never seen a conversion quite like that. Would imagine it would require a light priming charge to ensure proper ignition...I can't see relying on the flame from the cap alone to properly ignite the main charge reliably. Wish the photo was clearer as to what's been over-struck on the plate ahead of the hammer. Probably an original maker's name of armory mark...more probably the former. Still, as we used to say in the old days, "Way Cool"!! :thumbsup:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Looks very Arabic to me.

I wonder if the touch hole is proper size OR if it's larger, either with heavy use, or intentionally drilled out that way?

See, if it was larger say 3/32, then when you load the gun it might "self prime" with powder going into the pan, and then you'd only need to cap and fire.

I've seen a few Pedersoli Bess with worn out touch holes do that..."self prime". That's when the owner knew it was time to have a touch hole liner installed. :grin:

LD

 

[Len Graves]

Very interestingness about the flat caps. I have n ever heard of them. Is there a place I could look that type of primer up? I know about the so called scent bottle so I guess the next step would be something like that.

 

[desi23]

There were also the "pill" locks that used a pellet of fulminate. There are several surviving examples that used a magazine that would release one pellet at a time for priming (look up Forsyth, "scent bottle" lock) but some of the first ones used a converted flint pan and cover and were primed with loose pellets. I would think a good cap would produce enough fire to ignite the main charge whether there was powder in the pan or not.

After all, it still has a shorter path to travel than some of the civil war era rifles such as the Sharps. The early period of percussion guns led to a lot of novel ideas and conversions, people experimented with many ways to build a better system before the more familiar designs we are familiar with became the norm.

 

[tiger13]

I had a pistol, that belonged to an ancestor of mine, that was stolen in a break in several years ago now, that was converted in this manner. He was a Captain in a Loyalist Reg. during the Rev war. The gun was never recovered. You did not have to prime the pan to get the pistol to fire.

 

[rickystl]

That's what I was thinking. :idunno:

 

[rickystl]

Not sure either. :idunno: :haha: Wish there were more close-up photos, but there are not.

 

[rickystl]

I believe that early system is offered in a lock kit by The Rifle Shoppe. I know it's in their catalog, but don't have it in front of me to advise what page it's on. Seem to recall it was Swedish.

 

[rickystl]

Hi Wes. Yes, it's certainly the most odd I've ever seen. :haha: I couldn't even dream this one up :rotf: It would make a fun experiment to try out. Just wish there was more pics. Rick. :hatsoff:

 

[rickystl]

Hi Dave. Actually, yes. It is a Turkish blunderbuss that will be up for auction this Saturday at the Baltimore Antique Arms Show. I'm not really interested in purchasing the gun since I already have one in my collection. But since I'm registered, I'll try to find out who bought it after the Auction, and try to get the new owner to get me some additional pics of the lock work. I am really curious to see it. Wish I was at the Show, but couldn't make it this year. Rick.

 

[rickystl]

Now THAT is super interesting. Personally, I've never seen one converted like this. Rick. :hatsoff:

 

[matthew.heilgmail.com]

I believe Zimmerstutzen is talking about the Augustin-Console or "tube" lock. They were both conversions from flint and newly made, and are usually seen on Austrian arms. Several thousand were imported and used by the Union (especially in the Western theater) during the Civil War - Grant even complained about them in an official report.

College Hill Arsenal has a good example on their site:
http://www.collegehillarsenal.com/shop/product.php?productid=601&cat=0&page=1

 

[Ken Cormier]

+1 on the way cool