Description
This is the classic English fullstock fowling gun architecture, that was popular on American flint fowling guns of the 1760 – 1790 era. Stocked in curly maple, the brass furniture is neatly engraved. The top flat of the barrel is signed by contemporary builder Clay Smith. Used, this gun has a few small handling marks on the maple stock. The .54 caliber rifled bore is bright and has been well maintained. Weight is a light 7.7 pounds. Trigger reach is 13-1/2″ to fit an average sized shooter. The .54 caliber 38″ swamped octagon Colerain barrel is finished with traditional charcoal bluing. The swamped barrel is thickest at the breech, tapers to a narrow waist, and flares at the muzzle. The bore is rifled with six lands and radius bottom grooves in a slow twist for a patched round ball. The bore is bright and has been well maintained. Colerain rifle barrels are the favorite choice of today’s best muzzle loading gun makers, because knowledgeable shooters demand Colerain’s accuracy, inside and outside. Founded by two entrepreneurs, Scott Keller and Scott Kelly were tutored by Bob Paris, the famous rifle barrel maker who was first to perfect the technique for production of correct swamped barrels. Colerain rifle barrels are drilled from solid steel, cut rifled .012″ to .016″ deep depending on caliber, with six “round bottom” grooves. Called “radius groove rifling”, Colerain eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Radius groove rifling cutters are a bit more expensive to make, but Colerain’s customers agree that the accuracy, easy loading, and easy cleaning are worth the cost. A nickel silver front sight is dovetailed 1-1/2″ behind the muzzle. A flat top fire blued rear sight is dovetailed 10″ ahead of the breech. The top flat near the breech is signed C * SMITH WMsBURG. The breech end of the barrel is engraved with a floral pattern that flows back on the flared thumbnail tang. The left oblique flat is marked with Clay Smith’s marker’s mark and the number 344 near the breech. The maple stock has a rich brown color with with golden undertones. The stock has a few small handling marks from use. The buttstock is fitted with a wide, flat, comfortable brass buttplate. The metal to wood fit is excellent on all areas of this fine rifle. Viewed from the top, you can see the long pointed comb of the English buttplate. The comb of the buttplate is expertly engraved with a floral pattern. A large silver thumb piece decorates the top of the wrist and is engraved with the initials JH. The lock panels are slightly tapered, wider at the rear, another early feature common during this period. The tang is engraved with a floral pattern, and the tang bolt is aligned with the barrel. A raised carved shell decorates the area around the tang. We note two minor 1/8″ long drying cracks at the tip of the tang. The top view shows the early style wide checkering that wraps around the wrist. The buttstock is fitted with a large early style patchbox with no side panels. Instead, the areas where the side panels would be found are decorated with silver wire inlay in a floral pattern. The patchbox is neatly border engraved and features the same floral pattern found on the barrel. The center of the door is engraved SISU!, which is a Finnish concept translated as stoic determination, grit, resilience, and bravery in the face of extreme adversity. A decorative button in the buttplate pushes down to release the patchbox door revealing a deep cut cavity for storing flints or shooting accessories. The bottom view shows the rounded toe, and wide flat buttplate. No toeplate is used on fowling guns. The toe has picked up a few small dings from use. The long brass trigger guard is correctly pinned to the stock and features light engraving on the finial. An engraved floral pattern decorates the bow of the guard. The forend is slim and graceful, with a very slight Germanic palm swell just behind the ramrod entry pipe. The ramrod pipes are brass with a raised thumbnail skirt on the entry pipe. The pointed skirt is neatly engraved with a floral pattern that matches the rest of the gun. The wooden ramrod is fitted with an iron tip threaded to accept 8-32 cleaning and loading accessories. A brass muzzle cap protects the end grain of the forearm. The lock is retained by two domed lock bolts that are fire blued. The lock bolts support the English style brass sideplate. The sideplate is shaped with floral finials that matches the theme of engraving found on the rifle. A square cheek piece is decorated with a single line of molding. Raised and incised carving decorates the buttstock behind the cheek, along with silver wire inlay. The large round faced English fowler lock, sometimes called “Queen Anne” locks, date from the 1730 to 1770 period, well after Anne’s reign ended. This fine English fowler lock features a tiny decorative molding around the plate and cock. The pan has a raised rim to tightly engage the frizzen to make a weather proof seal, and keep priming dry. The pan has a bridle arm to support the frizzen, not always found on early English locks. These early London style locks are often found on colonial American long rifles and fowlers. This lock was assembled and tuned by Jim Chambers, one of America’s most respected lock and gun makers. This flint lock is fast, with a strong mainspring, and it sparks well. Order a dozen of our Flint-ENG-7 gun flints, 7/8″ size, by Tom Fuller, for best sparks. The lock plate is polished bright and engraved with a floral pattern. The single trigger is pinned high, for optimum leverage and easy trigger release. The direct drilled touch hole is positioned well above the bottom of the pan, centered on the heat of the flash. If your flint longrifle suffers from that infamous slow whoosh-bang ignition delay, study the work of today’s best gun makers, and position your vent well centered on the pan, high above the bottom, to serve as a window on the center of the flash.Very well fit and finished this lovely rifle has a bright well maintained bore. Hand made by a well known builder, this gun will be a joy to shoot and own. Regular use and handling of this nice rifle will age it to the patina of a fine original. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
