Anybody heard of this old gun maker,help with ident pics up

griaguns

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I have an old rifled musket that has F Russel under the barrel.British proofs crown over GR etc with some British arsenal proofs in the lock(no Belgium proofs)
Just don't recognize the name.
Graham
 
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I don't collect this kind of gun, but I looked in Flayderman's and the Shooter's Bible guide. Neither lists any Russel. Maybe one of the members knows about these. Given the way these guns were assembled and re-assembled, I suppose it's possible that you have something with a British lock and a continental barrel, but I just don't know. Good luck with it.
 
griaguns,

The only information I have is there was a Phillip Russell who was paid eight guinieas for the invention of a modified plug bayonet in 1678 and a Thomas Russell, a Birmingham gunmaker, who was invited to send in a sample rifled barrel to the Ordinance Department ca. 1800 during the introduction of the rifle into service.
 
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pictures are here

muzzleloader1.jpg

muzzleloader2.jpg


muzzleloader3.jpg


muzzleloader7.jpg


muzzleloader4.jpg


muzzleloader5.jpg


muzzleloader6.jpg


muzzleloader8.jpg
 
It kinda looks like a brunswick, yet with all the nice engravings and the checkering at the wrist im thinking its a private contract rifle.

Quite nice and interesting
 
I'm surprised that someone hasn't reconized this musket. Hint: Barker barrel, backlock action, and nice escutcheon. Any guesses? I have owned 2 of these guns in the past and know where there are 3 more.

I will not devulge the full story right yet.
 
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OK here is the rest of the story:

002-6.jpg


003-4.jpg


004-3.jpg



I think that if you look close you will see that the maker was T. Russel (Thomas) he supplied the first rifled barrels for the baker rifle. Also if you look close behind the trigger guard you should see the inspectors stamp in the wood which is on all baker rifles.
These guns have become very collectable among the collectors of Indian Trade rifles and this is one of the rarest.
 
Thank you Road king
I really appreciate the info
Its still not for sale


This one will fit in nicely with my 1850's American 1/2 Stock my Barnett Trade rifle and my Harper's Ferry not counting the Sharps, Springfield's and Remington's
 
SAFE shooting never devalued an old gun in good condition unless it was overdone.... or if the rifle was unfired in the first place.

As one example, I am NOT firing one of my Mark IV Martini-Henrys, it having survived since 1887 in an unfired state.

On the other hand, if I owned THIS baby, I really don't see how I could POSSIBLY resist the urge to blow just ONE little ball down the range.... or perhaps 2 or 3 or.... well, you get the idea.

AMAZING find!
 
I dont see how shooting it would devalue it.
They were made to shoot not to look at, infact I bet shooting it may actually serve to preserve it.



For example a regularly shot arm has far more of a chance to be regularly cleaned and maintained if the shooter has half a mind ;)
while a arm thats part of a unused collection can have a bore full of rot festering for decades.


My 2cents
 
Speaking of that...would any of you consider a Third model Brown Bess to be something safe to shoot?
I was warned not to. (my gunsmith had a black powder rifle blow up in his face, just missed being blinded)

Looks sound but well used and pretty old...
 
Speaking of that...would any of you consider a Third model Brown Bess to be something safe to shoot?
I was warned not to. (my gunsmith had a black powder rifle blow up in his face, just missed being blinded)..

The two sides of the equation are that I have shot them without a problem vs a lot of old guns have very few threads in their breach plugs. Bess' only have 3 or 4 threads in the plug. I think tie it to a tire and only use about 70 or 80 grains of 2F or 1F. The original load was around 120 gr

cheers mooncoon
 
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