Oh yes!

[RDGAC]

Thanks! I actually didn't know the barrel was watered when I got hold of the gun; it was only on closer examination that I spotted the patterning, which of course made me very happy indeed.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Thanks! I actually didn't know the barrel was watered when I got hold of the gun; it was only on closer examination that I spotted the patterning, which of course made me very happy indeed.

Hello. Nice piece for your collection. Yes, very nice barrel. Looks almost Indian (?). Nice piece. Rick.

[Atlantia]

NICE!

The damascus barrel is superb. My first thought was Turkish.

Best
Gene

[RDGAC]

Thanks again, all Why Turkish, Gene? I'm still very ignorant and would love to learn the recognition features. My first thought (from my limited memory) was Persian, early 19th Century (I'm working on the assumption that the whole piece was assembled about then; the lock's clearly a converted flintlock, after all, and its relative simplicity made me think of the 1805 India Pattern Brown Bess).

Also, I've never seen this sort of fitting to attach the hammer to the shaft. it looks unpleasantly permanent, and I was rather hoping to strip the lock for a clean and a bit of oiling. Looks like it's a screw of some sort, but not one moved by an ordinary screwdriver; is that brass bit a washer?

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Thanks again, all Why Turkish, Gene? I'm still very ignorant and would love to learn the recognition features. My first thought (from my limited memory) was Persian, early 19th Century (I'm working on the assumption that the whole piece was assembled about then; the lock's clearly a converted flintlock, after all, and its relative simplicity made me think of the 1805 India Pattern Brown Bess).

Also, I've never seen this sort of fitting to attach the hammer to the shaft. it looks unpleasantly permanent, and I was rather hoping to strip the lock for a clean and a bit of oiling. Looks like it's a screw of some sort, but not one moved by an ordinary screwdriver; is that brass bit a washer?

Just the quality of the pattern welding on the barrel and the 'patterns' themselves really. Not that I'm any kind of expert on Jezail'.

[rickystl]

though not without a struggle getting her back to York.

Here's a pic of mine that I had to struggle with to get her FROM the UK.
One going in to the UK. One going out of the UK. Rick.

[RDGAC]

'ello 'ello 'ello, I recognise that! That musket was for sale at the Antiques Storehouse, where I got my first, about a year back. I seem to recall you were going to get a barrel liner put in her - how'd that pan out?

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

'ello 'ello 'ello, I recognise that! That musket was for sale at the Antiques Storehouse, where I got my first, about a year back. I seem to recall you were going to get a barrel liner put in her - how'd that pan out?

Hello. Yes, that's where I bought it. Took forever to get a proper invoice from the owner. After I received the gun (with about 1/4" of paperwork) I noticed it was missing the whole nipple/drum assembly. Had I known you then, I would have asked you to inspect it for me before I bought it. But, it's OK. I can make a new drum/nipple assembly. I have not started to rebuild this one yet. Too many others I'm working on. The barrel on mine is plain and fairly well pitted. So it's a good candidate to do this. I would not do it with your barrel. I wouldn't want to risk the decoration/steel on the barrel.
Your Lock: Where the hammer screw would normally be, your's appears to be a pin/washer assemble held tight from the INSIDE of the lock. But not sure. If you remove the two scews from the stirrup (the semi-U shaped item) you can probably tell how the hammer is held on. I would first use some good penetrating oil on those screws, and let it sit for a few days.
Your's should clean up very well. Rick.

[RDGAC]

Hello Rick - in fairness, I live towards the opposite end of the country (York's about 200 miles away from Brighton), and it costs a goodly amount to cover the distance; I'm not sure I'd be of too much use.

I've pulled the lock apart as far as I can (quick squirt of WD40 seems to have been enough to slacken the screws, the mainspring's excepted) and can't see any obvious means of detaching the tumbler from the hammer from within. There's a further problem: the barrel tang screw is attached to the sling swivel by a bent iron spike, which looks very unlikely to respond well to being pulled, pushed, hammered etc. Meanwhile, the bottom (or, depending on PoV, the top) of the screw has been hammered flat, and spread accordingly; this is presumably intended to stop the screw from slipping through, as it's likely worn its threads right out. This likely means dismounting the barrel is going to be a tricky proposition.

One obvious (but invasive) solution would be to file away the flattened-out edges of the screw and simply pull the whole assembly out; then, assuming I can find an appropriate die nut, gently freshen up the threads a bit and see if they'll then grip the hole in the tang. If that fails, I can then replace the screw and, mounting the gun correctly, gently hammer the screw's head until it spreads enough to be held in place again. Any thoughts, chaps?