Wilson Trade Gun

[FearNot]

Can anyone tell me the approximate time frame and location for the Wilson trade gun? Would it be appropriate for the Mohawk Valley circa 1750 - 1760?

Related, I'm starting to think about looking for a smoothbore, as mentioned above, appropriate to the Mohawk Valley or that would have been carried by a militia type from that region during F&I war. Never having won the lottery I need something that will work for AWI also and figure an earlier "somehthing" would work for both. I'm considering 1st model Brown Bess or maybe early French firearm. Don't want one of those really ugly Dutch guns.

Any help would be appreciated. The attraction of the Wilson is that I can get it from Caywood in left handed version. Although I REALLY like the looks of some of the military (English and French) arms.

Decisions... decisions.... :haha:

 

[Mike Brooks]

The Caywood gun is post F&I war. Fragments of original guns are never found on F&I war era sites, always post F&I. The originals were never made left handed .
The Wilson family was in business for nearly 100 years , and made many different styles of guns in all grades.

 

[Slash]

I found a site you might find interesting. [url] www.newyorkhistory.net[/url]
I did a Mohawk Valley search and this was a very informative site. It also listed several reenactment groups that might be of help.
Slash

 

[Okwaho]

I am in general agreement with Mike here.Hamilton {1980, PP.66-67} describes the cast brass scaled side plate {as seen on the R Wilson gun} as being the final form of the serpent sideplate as seen with minor variations on Northwest and Hudson Bay fusils made during the late 18th and first three decades of the 19th century.This plate has,however,is found on early 18th century Northwest guns,one attributed Ca.1740,s and one dated 1751,"Trade Guns of the Hudson's Bay Company 1670-1970"{2003}PP.53-56.by S.James Gooding. Another gun dated 1762 was found in Burial No.4 at Rock Island in Lake Michigan.Generally, as I said above, I agree with Mike that the R.Wilson gun as illustrated by Hamilton {1980 PP.73 and 78-79} post dates the F&I War period.As to this gun's use in the Mohawk Valley Ca.1750-60 I would be very skeptical.
Tom Patton

 

[FearNot]

OK, that answers that question. So maybe a 1st model Bess from Loyalist Arms or MSTC. or perhaps an English fowler of some kind?

 

[Okwaho]

What persona you portray during that time period ie;French milice or English militia or rangers will pretty much dictate the type of gun or guns which would be appropriate.
Tom Patton

 

[rich pierce]

The first model Bess would be good. Left handed locks would be scarce in the hands of common folks. A generic fowler/militia gun with an early lock and long barrel could be made with early syled furniture and would be fine. Look to Neumann's books. I've had the History of Weapons of the American Revolution for 30 years or so and the pictures are small but the book shows the range of guns recovered from the period.

The Bess is not that different from Dutch guns of the period and in fact the Dutch were arms makers to the world. One Dutch fowler that is really nice and early is called M.62 in that book and features a round-faced lock of medium size, a 45" round barrel of 16 ga, a nice early dragon style sideplate, and a fancy guard fastened with nails. There are probably a dozen muskets and fowlers pictured in that particular book that would serve well in the Mohawk Valley for that time frame. That's where I grew up so it's of interest to me as well.

I agree the Davis round faced lock is a great choice for a militia gun, better in styling than others.