First flintlock
Greetings all,
Well, earlier this month I had a run of bad luck where I lost out on two early 15th century tiller hand-cannons and a matchlock allegedly from the Emden arsenal. So with that money burning holes in my pockets, I snapped up this one when I saw it - of all places! - on Guns America. It was listed as a model 1816, which of course it is not - it is rather an early Type III model 1812. This being my first acquisition of such antiquity, I of course hope you experts will chime in, but I believe it to be in its original flintlock state. The lock seems to function pretty well - it holds rock-solid at half-cock, and although it needs a little encouragement at full-cock, once it catches, it holds well. With a piece of wood in the jaws, it snaps well and after a little oil, the frizzen and pan pop right open like they should.
This screw; the cock screw; the cock and jaw; and the frizzen/pan cover all show the same "X" assembly marking.
The stock does have the characteristic cheek rest recess - this must have been one of the last to have this buttstock configuration, before the change to the stock shape that characterized the later Type III 1812s and the 1816s.
It doesn't photograph well, but there's a trace of indentations where the date should be on the buttplate tang.
Also not photographing well are the faintest residual cartouches. (Or perhaps they're just in my imagination? All I know is they *should* be there, LOL.)
Rounding out the markings are some "D" stamps on the sideplate, with matching ones on the rear and middle barrel bands; what looks like an "LD" or "LO" under the trigger plate; and an "L" and possibly a "P" under the frizzen/pan spring:
The bore is crusty, but hey, it's not for winning shooting matches.
And last but certainly not least, it's definitely not loaded. The ramrod goes all the way in, and if I turn my bore light around, I can see the shine through the touch-hole.
The fun continues - who knows what the internet will bring next!
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