Hi Montagnard. And welcome to the Forum.
That's an interesting matchlock. I agree with Stu's observations.
The barrel looks typical of what you would see from Northern India with the swelled breech and plain, notched rear sight. Also the swell and tulip type decoration at the muzzle end.
Along with Stu's comments on the stock, a couple other observations: The top wood section covering the serpentine being a seperate piece with two wood pegs (or possibly nails in this case) and the flats filed at the wrist area are both typical of Indian construction. It's only the butt stock design that is more typical of Afghani guns.
As Stu mentions, the barrel bands used on these guns can be rattan, leather, brass, iron, or silver. The intentional notch seems too far rearward for the use of a bi-pod. So I'm thinking it may have been done to accomodate the rear portion of a simple tie-on type sling.
Overall, the gun looks to have been made by an Indian craftsman for possibly an Afghan customer at low cost using a recycled barrel from a Torador musket, and whatever other material was locally available.
If you plan on restoring the gun, replacing the barrel bands with dark brown leather might look good in this case if rattan not available.
Rick
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