Having the lock look like a standard trade lock does not mean it was a fake made for tourist. The smith that made the lock wants it as resellable to a wide population and would mark it as such. Taking the gun apart is up to you. It is not that big a deal mark the bands with chalk as you take them off and unscrew 1 screw. the barrel is then off. As I mentioned it is only 2 screws that hold the lock. If you want to see if the barrel is watered just move one of the bands a little and you can see if it is watered. I doubt that steel was poured down it. I have pulled many loads out of these guns. Mostly it is corroded shot, sometimes rocks glass lead balls and any anything else that happened to be laying around. I would strongly encourage you to have the piece unloaded. Black powder does not go inert but more unstable as times go by. people still bring back cannonballs paint them black and put them on a shelf. Once every couple years you will hear about one of these falling off and detenating. I have had one of the vietnamese flintlocks go off in my hands that had been loaded for 40 years.
|