Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

rickystl · 2nd September 2018, 02:52 PM

Hello All

Well, this Thread has become an interesting conversation.

Mahratt: Thank you so much for the photo of the Sindi warriors with their percussion Jazails. First time I've seen this photo. Thank you !! As a curious side note: Every Sindh origin gun I've seen is either matchlock or percussion variation. While somewhere in Tirri's or Elgood's books there is one example of a Sindh gun in flintlock, they seem quite rare. You just never see them. It seems Sindh skipped the flintlock period for the most part, similar to Japan.

Butt Stock Design: It seems the different regions under the Ottoman Empire each had their own "general" preference in gun design. But as many, if not most of these guns were made on an individual (non-production) basis, I'm sure individual customer tastes were included. This, along with the common use and reuse of gun parts and the mix of cultures can sometimes make it difficult to pinpoint the original origin of some of these Ethno guns.

Corrodo's Gun: The barrel design replicates the general design of barrels made for Toradors in Northern and Central India. The swell at the breech and muzzle ends, the placement of the front and rear sights, the serpentine/trigger assembly, and the pan design are all clues of at least the barrel's origins. And the barrel may easily be from an earlier gun and re-used. The barrel is probably damascus but you can't tell from the extra heavy patina. Note the priming pan lacks a cover. But many were made this way.
Butt Stock: I note the butt stock curves downward, and then straight. But the circumference is still squareish like the Toradors. The Sindi and Afghan stocks curve downward and back up for fit under the armpit for carry.

So all this evidence tells me this gun was made in India - somewhere. LOL
The gun is a bit less than munitions grade. I think this gun was made for an individual for the least possible cost of material and labor, with what ever reusable parts the gunsmith had on hand at the time, including the use of the rattan bands. This would not at all be uncommon. Just my best guess on the gun in question.

Rick

2nd September 2018, 02:52 PM	#43
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,621	Hello All Well, this Thread has become an interesting conversation. Mahratt: Thank you so much for the photo of the Sindi warriors with their percussion Jazails. First time I've seen this photo. Thank you !! As a curious side note: Every Sindh origin gun I've seen is either matchlock or percussion variation. While somewhere in Tirri's or Elgood's books there is one example of a Sindh gun in flintlock, they seem quite rare. You just never see them. It seems Sindh skipped the flintlock period for the most part, similar to Japan. Butt Stock Design: It seems the different regions under the Ottoman Empire each had their own "general" preference in gun design. But as many, if not most of these guns were made on an individual (non-production) basis, I'm sure individual customer tastes were included. This, along with the common use and reuse of gun parts and the mix of cultures can sometimes make it difficult to pinpoint the original origin of some of these Ethno guns. Corrodo's Gun: The barrel design replicates the general design of barrels made for Toradors in Northern and Central India. The swell at the breech and muzzle ends, the placement of the front and rear sights, the serpentine/trigger assembly, and the pan design are all clues of at least the barrel's origins. And the barrel may easily be from an earlier gun and re-used. The barrel is probably damascus but you can't tell from the extra heavy patina. Note the priming pan lacks a cover. But many were made this way. Butt Stock: I note the butt stock curves downward, and then straight. But the circumference is still squareish like the Toradors. The Sindi and Afghan stocks curve downward and back up for fit under the armpit for carry. So all this evidence tells me this gun was made in India - somewhere. LOL The gun is a bit less than munitions grade. I think this gun was made for an individual for the least possible cost of material and labor, with what ever reusable parts the gunsmith had on hand at the time, including the use of the rattan bands. This would not at all be uncommon. Just my best guess on the gun in question. Rick