Bought an Old Trade Gun Kit

[LaBonte]

Well said galamb, I won't bother commenting further since my statements of fact from more recent research were kindly linked to by Zonie in his earlier post on the subject. Whether many like it or not, the long trade guns were more common and the short "canoe guns" were usually shortened, damaged guns that started out with longer barrels, not necessarily factory produced. Short guns were acceptable for use by boys, not for adult usage. :stir:

Don't forget to read the 2nd page of the post Zonie linked to.

Perhaps in the east but out west shorter barrels including 2" and 30" could be ordered from the factory:
1) an order for goods by William Laidlaw of Fort Pierre Choteau dated Dec. 20, 1832. Among the list is this entry:

"Best Barnett guns 3 foot barrels and 110 Northwest guns with 2 and 3 foot barrels"

2) The following is a listing of the NW guns purchased by Pierre Chouteau Jr. & Co., for the Upper Missouri trade. Note the barrel lengths - including short 30" barrels and long 48" barrels.

1850
W. Chance Son & Co., Birmingham
160--36 inch Barrels
110--42"
10---48"
Schuckard & Gebhard [importers],
Belgium guns
60--30 inch barrels
60--33"
60--36"
40--42"
English guns
300--30"
200--33"
200--36"

1851
W. Chance son & Co.
120--30"
170--33"
230--36"
40---42"
30---48"
Edw. K. Tryon, Philadelphia
47--30"
3---36"

1852
W. Chance Son & Co.
150--30"
150--33"
250--36"
30---39"
40---42"
30---48"

1853
W. Chance Son & Co.
60--30"
50--33"
90--36"
20--39"

1854
W. Chance Son & Co.
150--30"
150--33"
180--36"
80---39"
40---42"

1855
W. Chance Son & Co.
150--30"
150--33"
120--36"
20---42"

The above is from Connor, "Success in the Fur Trade". He took it from the microfilm of the PCJ&Co. records. Notice that the 30" and 33" barrels get increasingly popular over the five years, while the 42" barrels are ordered less and less. It's very surprising that the 48" barrels were still available as late as 1852.

If necessary I can rebuild the lock and re-heat treat the springs myself. I have heard the same thing with these locks, I might even color case harden it though that probably isn't exactly hc.

While color case hardening wouldn't necessarily PC, case hardening the lock would be - just the sort of French Gray color would be appropriate.

GFR was originally owned and operated by Frank Straight of Bellevue, Washington in the early-mid 1970's - the later sold the gunmaking part ot some one in Oregon - they also built the Astorian Trade rifle. Reportedly some barrels (at least the trade rifle barrels) were made by GRRW and others by Sharon. I knew Frank back then and vaguely remember that at least some of the early NW guns barrels came from Numrich, but won't swear to it. GFR also sold clothing patterns and wide brim low crown hats made by Resistol.
As for the tang shape, check with laffindog her on the forums - I believe the straight sided tang is correct but laffindog is the man to ask.

BTW - the fancied up NW gun featured in couple of photos in the book Peacekeepers, by R. L. Wilson, was in fact a GFR NW gun and not an original

 

[LaBonte]

As for buffalo running on horseback which was common from the 1830's on, a 30" barrel is about the maximum length that can be easily reloaded at a run. Back when I was much younger man, a friend and I "practiced" running buffalo (haybales :grin: ) on horseback and found the 30" was the maximum for ease of reloading. I am 5' 11" and he was 6' 3". We would tuck the butt stock between our leg and stirrup strap to help hold the gun steady while reloading and 30" was just right, placing the muzzle just below my chin. FWIW - My own original Potsdam musket that was cut down and used for running buffalo back in the day has a 30" barrel.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

LaBonte, good information, well documented for that period. In the end, it all depends of where and especially when we are talking about. The guns sold and used on the Plains of the mid-19th Century were very different from those of 50 to 100 (or more) years before in the east just as the Type G Trade gun - the Carolina Gun - was from those sold by the Northwest Company and the Hudson Bay Company. Earlier guns, no matter who made of sold them, were longer by customer preference.