Jezail rifle. Unusual version ?

Philip · 30th November 2006, 11:58 PM

Hi, Fernando
Interesting piece. Indeed, this is a Sind rifle, the percussion lock indicates second half 19th cent. up to early 20th as previously noted. The shape of the lock is patterned after the style used on British Enfield rifle-muskets, which have seen combat in the Crimean War, the American Civil War, and so forth. Many of these guns were convered to breech-loading in the early 1870s (the Snider system) so they were widespread throughout the British Empire.

I suspect that the barrel on your gun is much older, with the breech altered to accept a percussion bolster and nipple. The configuration of your barrel could well indicate Persian manufacture. Without inscriptions it can be difficult to date these, but good quality ones remained in service for a long, long time.

Many of these old Persian (and Indian) barrels are of twist damascus steel. HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR GUN APART? Often, the portion of the barrel covered by wood is less corroded and a damascus pattern might be visible.

The rifling is consistent with traditional rifled firearms of Iran and Turkey. You find this style also in the bores of rifles made in the Germanic countries prior to the 18th cent. The grooves are narrow troughs, almost always an odd number (generally 7 or 9).

30th November 2006, 11:58 PM	#10
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	observations on lock and possibly damascus barrel Hi, Fernando Interesting piece. Indeed, this is a Sind rifle, the percussion lock indicates second half 19th cent. up to early 20th as previously noted. The shape of the lock is patterned after the style used on British Enfield rifle-muskets, which have seen combat in the Crimean War, the American Civil War, and so forth. Many of these guns were convered to breech-loading in the early 1870s (the Snider system) so they were widespread throughout the British Empire. I suspect that the barrel on your gun is much older, with the breech altered to accept a percussion bolster and nipple. The configuration of your barrel could well indicate Persian manufacture. Without inscriptions it can be difficult to date these, but good quality ones remained in service for a long, long time. Many of these old Persian (and Indian) barrels are of twist damascus steel. HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR GUN APART? Often, the portion of the barrel covered by wood is less corroded and a damascus pattern might be visible. The rifling is consistent with traditional rifled firearms of Iran and Turkey. You find this style also in the bores of rifles made in the Germanic countries prior to the 18th cent. The grooves are narrow troughs, almost always an odd number (generally 7 or 9).