Jezail 3: Return of the Not-Quite-So-Killer Jezail

Raf · 30th November 2013, 03:45 PM

I think your being a bit hard on it . Cant immediately see why the lock isnt a bog standard EIC lock ; Windus patern which formed the model for the India pattern Bess. Whats wrong with lock is the native made replacement cast spring which probably never worked properly in the first place. A modern cast steel spring for a India pattern lock will probably fit with a bit of work. Their not expensive compared to making one and are fairly easy to temper. The lock obviously belongs to most of the stock .The barrel as you point out probably doesnt belong to this gun and almost certainly started life as a matchlock .Looks Persian to me. The charm , if thats the right word , of these things is that they have a long and colourfull history and the fact they are invariable marriages of parts of different dates from different cultures is just part of real history.

30th November 2013, 03:45 PM	#11
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	I think your being a bit hard on it . Cant immediately see why the lock isnt a bog standard EIC lock ; Windus patern which formed the model for the India pattern Bess. Whats wrong with lock is the native made replacement cast spring which probably never worked properly in the first place. A modern cast steel spring for a India pattern lock will probably fit with a bit of work. Their not expensive compared to making one and are fairly easy to temper. The lock obviously belongs to most of the stock .The barrel as you point out probably doesnt belong to this gun and almost certainly started life as a matchlock .Looks Persian to me. The charm , if thats the right word , of these things is that they have a long and colourfull history and the fact they are invariable marriages of parts of different dates from different cultures is just part of real history.