Flintlock pistol barrel?

[DownNDirty]

I just found this in a Lowcountry SC creek located on a plantation that dates back to the late 17th century. It's 12 inches long, hexagonal and tapered. I will do electrolysis when I get home & post better pictures later but I wanted to know what y'all think so far. Is this a pistol barrel? Thanks in advance.

Glenn

 

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[DownNDirty]

Here is a link to some very good information related to flintlocks: http://flintlockpistols.net/index_old.htm
According to this publication gold touch hole linings were only in use between circa 1750 and 1805, so this narrows the manufacture date of the barrel to that period. It also says (as others have posted here) that only "expensive pistols" were fitted with the linings.

 

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[basque-man]

That is cool!!!!

 

[DirtStalker]

Unique find DnD. But I think that site needs to be protected ..like should you and the Misses take a trip...hmmm yes of course I will

 

[DownNDirty]

It was a surface find-I found it lying on the bottom of a creek. Aquachigger style. lol

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here is a link to some very good information related to flintlocks: http://flintlockpistols.net/index_old.htm
According to this publication gold touch hole linings were only in use between circa 1750 and 1805, so this narrows the manufacture date of the barrel to that period. It also says (as others have posted here) that only "expensive pistols" were fitted with the linings.

Wow thats very cool. So is it gold or gold plated?

 

[DownNDirty]

UPDATES
First, I went back to the creek last Saturday and metal detected in the area where I found the barrel. Just downstream from where I found it I found part of a flintlock mechanism (the cock and part of the lockplate), a small part of the barrel and a barrel band that has been flattened; see the pictures. I found other relics & will post them in "Today's Finds."

 

[DownNDirty]

Second I took my finds to an archeaologist at the University of South Carolina who is an expert in 18th and 19th century weapons and relics. He said the barrel is part of the barrel of a "fusil," which is a light musket & was a trade gun. He said they were used by the American militiia during the Revolutionary War. He also said that the flintlock I found looks like the type that would have been used on thatt type of gun. The vent liner was probably installed later because the vent eroded through use. He said the liner is probably brass.

 

[DownNDirty]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I have certainly learned a lot about flintlocks.

 

[DownNDirty]

One more thing-I definitely plan ro spend more time in that creek-the other parts have to be there somewhere.

 

[releventchair]

Thanks for the update!
The lock may be telling if cleaned. I'm not saying clean it though...l.o.l..
A fusil was often octagon to round on the barrel. A "wedding ring" was common at the transition. Your barrel may have been separated somehow near that area.
The hooked breech still throws me, but manufacturing origins would explain that.
Another clue to being a fusil,or trade gun of smooth bore, is the lack of a rear sight.
Lock plate being broken and the barrel too... with a crushed band makes it interesting even more.
Shared out of curiosity, some seized arms were used to " Corduroy"wet/swampy roads in more than one war. Perhaps if remembered correctly there was at least one account during the revolutionary war...
A civil war example below.
(That was the number of paroles issued. maybe a thousand or so just faded into the bushes. Also about 2,000 cavalrymen escaped but surrendered a few days later. That would leave about 32,000 men a day or two before the surrender. Some unknown number of stragglers drifted into camp during the truce

Most historians think that around 50-55,000 Confederates escaped from Richmond/Petersburg and maybe 12,000 deserted during that fateful week along with another 12,000 casualties. A lot of the deserters, to be fair, were Government clerks/militiamen and such, with little stomach for camapigning.

Lee said that he had about 8,000 "muskets", meaning fully equipped infantry troops in units capable of offensive actions. The retreating rebels had thrown away so many rifles that these discarded weapons were used to courderoy parts of the roads. There were reports of entire brigades with less than 100 rifles among their 500 - 1000 members.

Lee did not count officers, artillery, cavalry and support troops among his tally of "effectives" which may lead some to think he had far fewer men with him.)


The additional finds in the area are great. Congrats.

 

[DownNDirty]

The archaeologist said that all of my finds are from the 18th century including the gun. Last Saturday I found a dropped round ball with a diameter of .64 inch. The archaeologist said it is French & that the Americans used French muskets in the Revolutionary War. This site saw action in the war.

 

[jksweendog]

The archaeologist said that all of my finds are from the 18th century including the gun. Last Saturday I found a dropped round ball with a diameter of .64 inch. The archaeologist said it is French & that the Americans used French muskets in the Revolutionary War. This site saw action in the war.

You have found quite an interesting spot. Please keep us posted on any additional finds in the area.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk

 

[DownNDirty]

One more update-
I took the barrel to a jeweler today and had the vent liner tested-and it is NOT gold. So Jim was spot on as usual-the liner was added later to repair the vent after it had eroded.

 

[Tnmountains]

Thanks for following through with your find. It adds to the history. I have learned that once out of the water you better think preservation fast. I have lost some good iron items for not treating them fast enough. I had an old mechanism of a hammer and side plate not until electrolysis did I realize it was a flint lock and not a cap lock!
Thanks for sharing and great help from everyone.

 

[DownNDirty]

OK here's the end result after electrolysis, 10 hours of boiling and a lot of dental pick work. This is as good as it's going to get. Relevantchair can you gleen anything from this?

 

[releventchair]

You are starting to get a view of the mainspring(not the frizzen spring), that V shape on it's side.(I think )
A screw starting to show..suggesting a RH lock.
But...the spring is backwards from the rifle locks I use.
And the front of the lock plate is real short. Breaking it is doubtful without great effort or catastrophe. Suggesting perhaps a different style lock than those more common.
There were other lock styles. Like back action.(percussion type shown)


Versus a more common type, (note direction of mainspring open end in the following link) Flint Lock Terminology
Finding back action locks on weapons, and suspected type weapons of the era your piece is estimated to be from may give a better idea of its possible origin.

 

[DownNDirty]

So are you saying that I have the full lockplate-that it is not broken or rusted in half?

 

[releventchair]

Ends are rusted off, the end of the spring would be shorter than the lock plate normally,it is a moving piece when used so it fits in a recessed area of the wood stock and needs to move freely except where other smaller part(s) contact it and it's point of attachment to the lock plate.
But the spring showing, because of its direction suggests a back action lock.

Add enough imaginary metal to go past the exposed spring and still have enough metal to drill a screw hole in for a vague idea how much is missing.

 

[DownNDirty]

Sorry this is a bit over my head. What does all of this mean?

 

[releventchair]

Means we could use confirmation on the style of lock.
Having been wrong on the touch hole liner I don't want to speculate more.
A back action lock seems to be what you have.
To say they were uncommon on long guns can generate debate because rare ones were used way back in time.
Still...many more locks were used with the mainspring facing the opposite direction of yours.
The lock plate is only the flat piece the locks internal and external parts are attached to.
A wild guess(I don't like to guess but I do) is your plate is missing about an inch on each end.
The screws, or their holes may have caused accelerated rusting on each end.
If a back action style lock is what you have, then next is finding out what they were used on.
Not to confuse the issue more but they were used on more handguns than long guns at one time.
If yours is from a long gun then it should narrow down what type used them.
There were some very strange/interesting, and then too more practical types(half stock rifles and shotguns both) that did.
From back action African flintlock trade rifles to double barrel swivel guns.