Need Help With a Fowler/Sealer

[jpc]

Barrel is 54" long and is about an 8 gauge. Has a front sight.
No provision for a trigger guard and no butt plate.
Any ideas as to its use and or where it was used?

take care

jpc

 

[mooncoon]

It appears to be a converted flintlock and I am guessing it was used for seals and turres in Newfoundland. Have to admit that I am puzzled by the lack of any indication of a trigger guard.

cheers mooncoon

 

[Steppenwolf]

The lock plate looks like it was meant for a dog lock flinter.

 

[tiriaq]

Lock was a doglock flint. Wouldn't be as old as a doglock might suggest.
I agree that it was a sealing gun. Hard to tell if the stock was ever cut for a flint ####. Perhaps it was restocked at some time, and the triggger guard was omitted. Or maybe it never had one.

 

[vega]

My guess is that it was a home-made job put together from odd bits.

 

[Steppenwolf]

Are there any marks or stamps on the barrel, left side, at the breech?

 

[jpc]

Are there any marks or stamps on the barrel, left side, at the breech?

Hello:

Nothing visible

take care

jpc

 

[JP]

I have seen an identical musket, but the one I saw was still a Doglock and it no triggerguard on it also. Markings on the lock were Germanic I think.

 

[DATAM]

It might be an old Punt Gun from the UK?

 

[tiriaq]

Much more likely Newfoundland.

 

[jpc]

Any ideas why it was made without a trigger guard?

 

[david doyle]

Any ideas why it was made without a trigger guard?

cold hands,big mitts?

 

[tiriaq]

Simplification. Not unusual.

 

[jpc]

Simplification. Not unusual.

Never seen it before--should get out more

thanks and take care tiriaq

jpc

 

[tiriaq]

Newfoundland sealing guns - used for hunting seals, turres (murres), sea ducks, were plain, unadorned work guns. They saw hard use, and were modified, rebuilt, to keep them usable. Often you will see them with a hole bored through the butt, and a loop of line worked through it. This was to used to secure the gun to the gunwale of the dory with another line. They were in regular use in outports until well into the 20th century.

 

[jpc]

Was able to make out some markings on the lock.
Best I can come up with is >BI MISA<
The letters have an arrow at each end and spaces are as indicated. What I think is a M is only half there and some guessing was used

take care

jpc