I think mine was made around 1800, as a flintlock. At some point it had a snail brazed to the barrel and was converted to percussion. In Newfoundland it would have been known as a 7/8 because of the bore diameter, I am also under the impression that extreme long barrels somewhat died out by the 1830s or so.
About 20 - 25 years ago, one of the commissionaires at work told me of his grandfather hunting seals. The grandfather had a favourite spot to shoot from which I gather overlooked a rock that seals hauled out on. He would take 2 seine weights and hammer them down in diameter until they fit the barrel then wire them together etc. The weights I am thinking of are like a lead donut with about a 3/4" hole in the center and each weigh about 3 or 4 ounces. The hole was so they could be threaded on a rope before being lashed to the leadline of the seine. I would have thought that 1 weight would have been more than enough to kill a seal
cheers mooncoon
About 20 - 25 years ago, one of the commissionaires at work told me of his grandfather hunting seals. The grandfather had a favourite spot to shoot from which I gather overlooked a rock that seals hauled out on. He would take 2 seine weights and hammer them down in diameter until they fit the barrel then wire them together etc. The weights I am thinking of are like a lead donut with about a 3/4" hole in the center and each weigh about 3 or 4 ounces. The hole was so they could be threaded on a rope before being lashed to the leadline of the seine. I would have thought that 1 weight would have been more than enough to kill a seal
cheers mooncoon
