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Flintlock rifles, muskets, and pistols


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Actually I was born and raised in San Jose CA, but was an avid horsewoman for many years, so I spent all my days out running in the woods and fields of the surrounding foothills. I went through some tough years where I lived hand-to-mouth as a single mom in run-down apartment complexes and a trailer park. When I finally worked myself to the position where I could afford to buy a home, I knew where I wanted to live. I bought my house in the Santa Cruz mountains just about 4 years ago and I'm still totally in awe of the forest I live in. It's kind of a funny thing- my deed says that I "own" the redwoods on my land, but somehow I feel more like I am just their caretaker. :) When I have visitors come from out of state, I always suggest that they go and give one of the trees a hug, just so that they can say they came home from vacation "a tree-hugging hippie!!!"

-Claire "Poison Quill" Warren

Pyrate Mum of Tales of the Seven Seas

www.talesofthesevenseas.com

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Well, I finished staining me .45 last night. I chose a red mahogany stain. The first coat went on mostly a light brown color and i was a lil disappointed with the color. After that dried, I gave 'er a 2nd run with the stain, and WOW....the color is beautiful! I sanded 'er in a way so as to make the lock raised, and today i be plannin on settin the lock. Think i decided to leave the barrel the natural steel color.

When she's finished, i will borrow my ma's digicam and post ya a look.

Artemis

Purveyor of fyne plundar since 1605!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone have any info on what a tower pistol is. ie. when does it date from and other than being very long, what are it's specs. I have an opportunity to get one and just wanted some more info. I already have a kentucky flint and am getting a queen ann kit. This chance at the tower is really good and I will more than likely get it. Just wanted to know if it is period or at least what period does it hail from... Flint

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The tower pistol is mid 18th century. There are several variants, but the name comes from the fact the originals had "TOWER" inscribed across the heel of the lock plate, indicating that it was from the Tower of London Armouries. The most common calibre is .69, barrel length between 9 and 12 inches. The shorter ones were the sea service, especially the 9 inch barrelled pattern of 1756.

Be careful purchasing replicas. In the 70's and 80's, a large number were imported that were unsafe. Breech plugs were not threaded, some only spot welded in 3 or 4 places. Frizzens tend to be soft and many need hardening before they'll throw a spark. So they can run from downright unsafe, through merely useless, up to some fine quality pieces, depending on date and manufacturor.

Someone else asked about sea service pistols. I'll post chapter and verse tonight, after work.

Hawkyns

:ph34r:

Cannon add dignity to what otherwise would be merely an ugly brawl

I do what I do for my own reasons.

I do not require anyone to follow me.

I do not require society's approval for my actions or beliefs.

if I am to be judged, let me be judged in the pure light of history, not the harsh glare of modern trends.

rod_21.jpg

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ARRRRRGGHHH.....

I can't believe I typed that.

The shorter barrels are the LAND service pieces.

Too much rum, not enough sleep.........

(mumble, mutter, errr...)

Hawkyns

:ph34r:

Cannon add dignity to what otherwise would be merely an ugly brawl

I do what I do for my own reasons.

I do not require anyone to follow me.

I do not require society's approval for my actions or beliefs.

if I am to be judged, let me be judged in the pure light of history, not the harsh glare of modern trends.

rod_21.jpg

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Gah.

I think m'fingertyper is fried from the drool that starin' at the Harper's Ferry caused...

*smacks own hand*

Christmas, Lucky. Christmas.....

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I am robbing you, tossing you overboard, and stealing your ship!"

-the only thing more dangerous than her.. is her needle-

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When I was in the Boy Scouts, one of the camps had a black powder range... One of the targets was a hatchet blade whose edge faced the shooter, the idea was to use it to split your round and hit two targets on either side of it... The instructor could do it every time...

"Red Rum"

"How do you expect His Majesty's Empire to reap the wealth of the Carribean?"

"Ye STEAL it o' course!"

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OK, as promised, more info on the British Military pistols of the 18th C.

Land Service

Pattern 1730 18 3/4" overall 12" barrel .66cal

Pattern 1738 19 1/4" overall 12 1/16" barrel .56cal

Pattern 1756 16 3/16" overall 10 1/16" barrel .66cal

Known as the light dragoon pistol

Pattern 1759 15" overall 9" barrel .66cal

Known as the Elliot's light dragoon pistol

Pattern 1760 16 1/4" overall 10" barrel .66cal

Known as the Royal Forester's light dragoon pistol

Sea Service

Pattern 1718 18 5/16" overall 12 1/8" barrel .56cal

Pattern 1756 18 3/16" overall 11 7/8" barrel .56cal

Pattern 1756/57 18 3/16" overall 12" barrel .56cal

These are all flintlocks, and all have similar characteristics Steel barrels, heavy wood stocks, heavy brass butt cups, wooden rammers, brass furniture and ramrod pipes. They are relatively flat angled between grip and barrel, about 160 degrees.

Repros are available from several sources. As I said, you'll find some old repros of the pattern 1756 land service around, but be careful.

Modern repros are being sold by Roylist Arms in Canada and by Middlesex Trading Company. There are probably others, but these are the ones I've seen. They tend, as I said to be in .69cal, or .62cal, those being modern standards closest to the originals. Firing them is fun, but make sure you have strong wrists. A .675 cal ball, plus 80 grains of ff has one hell of a kick.

Hope this helps with what you're looking for. Happy Shooting!!

Hawkyns

:ph34r:

Cannon add dignity to what otherwise would be merely an ugly brawl

I do what I do for my own reasons.

I do not require anyone to follow me.

I do not require society's approval for my actions or beliefs.

if I am to be judged, let me be judged in the pure light of history, not the harsh glare of modern trends.

rod_21.jpg

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Salty Dave:

The original Queen Annes had what were called "turn off" barrels. They had a standing threaded breech and a threaded barrel. You filled the breech with powder, placed a ball on top of it, then screwed the barrel on. No ramming was necessary, so no ramrod was provided. Modern replicas have conventional one-piece breech and barrel, so you have to carry a ramrod separately. I just bought one for a .50 caliber muzzle loading rifle and cut it to length. To get an authentic Queen Anne with a screw-on barrel you'd probably have to commission one from a gunsmith, and that would not be cheap.

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Thanks for the reply. I was aware of the threaded barrel on the original but was inquiring about the Pedersoli repro... As I said, I've been contemplating a brace and had been wondering if they came with ramrods.

BTW... Dixie Gun Works has a nice screw barrel pistol. It's a flintlock .41 caliber and is about 7.25 inches long and comes with a barrel key. It sells for about $150.

:ph34r:

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Dixies Pedersoli is a good screw barrel, but the other one is junk. As far as ramrods, you need a ball starter anyway, so, buy one you like, and hang it wif'ye'ere other stuff! Ain't no uniforms 'ere,mate. I'm about to install a few brass ones on me ship so's everyone can fire without pullin' stuff out on a rollin' sea..... :ph34r:

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Now I be :huh: *armed* B) AND dangerous! My Pedersoli Queen Anne from Cherry's just arrived!!! Wheeee!

Me thinks the flint is too small, though, because I can't get it screwed in tight enough, so I'll need to rustle up another one.

She's really pretty, though, and I can't wait to fire her. Off to the local gun shop soon to be plundering some necessaries.....

Also came with a dandy VHS... I suppose I should watch it BEFORE I start target practice!

Now all I need is a ship... and some salt water... and a little common sense...

Yee Haa!

I mean, ARRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!

:blink:

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Sure... I can do that. I've got some leather scraps. Hey, that's a good idea!

Maybe that's how it's supposed to be done? I still haven't watched the video... or read the instruction booklet!

Thanks, Bully!

:blink::huh:B)

I've been mostly posing in front of the mirror with it... :)

"you talkin' to me? You talking to ME??"

"you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"

"go ahead... make my day"

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I've been mostly posing in front of the mirror with it... :)

"you talkin' to me? You talking to ME??"

"you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?"

"go ahead... make my day"

:blink:

Whenever I get mine ye KNOW that is what I'll be doin'...and I'll get stared at like I'm a nutter.

Fine by me, it is. By the time I get one I'll hopefully be able t' figure out what t'do with it!!

:huh:B)B)

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I am robbing you, tossing you overboard, and stealing your ship!"

-the only thing more dangerous than her.. is her needle-

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Hey, Lucky, you just GOTTA get one! I was about 2 clicks away from ordering the Harper's Ferry, but Pyrate talked me into this one. Good thing, too, because it will fit quite nicely strapped to my right thigh! The Ferry might have been too long... I'm ony 5'4"!

Anyway, I've been waving it around an awful lot (it's not loaded, and I DO understand good firearm etiquite!) so I best chill....

But it sure is purdy!

I really must go get some accessories soon...

BOOM!

I *WILL* fire it before nightfall!!!

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The Pedersoli Queen Anne does not come with a ramrod, so you have to get one separately.

Rosalinda, be sure you have someone coach you who has shot black powder. It is quite a bit different than modern guns. They are far more "tempermental" and "finicky" and the whole mechanism is different. You might look for a black powder enthusiasts club in your area. Bob (Saber) and I didn't shoot ours until we had Gary there coaching us. Even loading them is tricky and they frequently don't fire like they ought to. You're going to need a ramrod, the proper grade of black powder for the Queen Anne cleaning stuff, a brass poker for when it clogs up, and a jag or other tool to get a load out when it gets clogged up. I've had that happen where the touch hole gets clogged, or the flint cracks or falls out and there you are with a muzzle packed with black powder when you need to make a repair! We still don't have all the stuff yet, so we just fire them on the ship because Gary has all the equipment to bail us out! :blink:

I realized belatedly, thanks to a kind word from Bully, that in the birthday raid thread my exaggerated for humor post about Dany's first time shooting made it sound simple, like playing with a toy and I should have thought of that when I wrote it, rather than being flippant and funny.

You'll love the Queen Anne. Wicked little bad gals aren't they?!!! :) I love how well balanced they are. The Harper's Ferry that Gary and Bob have have a lot more weight in the muzzle, but the Queen is very light and managable. They're a wonderful bit of history and I love even all the pain in the butt stuff that you put up with dealing with black powder. And I want to hear allllllllll about it when you fire it!

-Claire "Poison Quill" Warren

Pyrate Mum of Tales of the Seven Seas

www.talesofthesevenseas.com

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I realized belatedly, thanks to a kind word from Bully, that in the birthday raid thread my exaggerated for humor post about Dany's first time shooting made it sound simple, like playing with a toy and I should have thought of that when I wrote it, rather than being flippant and funny.

Ohyes. That gun commands some respect when it goes off. No kidding. I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't feel like it was going to knock me over when it went off.

Most of the work was done for me though, and while I tried to pay as best of attention as possible, I know I'm going to need do it a lot more before I feel like I know what I am doing.

Oh but when I do....Lara Croft, move yerself over, wench! :blink:

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I am robbing you, tossing you overboard, and stealing your ship!"

-the only thing more dangerous than her.. is her needle-

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