French Style 1740's VA?

[Capt. Jas.]

How common would a French styled gun such as the tulle styling be in pre-F&I Virginia? Would most guns of that period be of English manufacture? It seems that most of the English styled guns have more of a straight back style stock like seen on a Bess. Is that correct or had the English who adopted many French styles already used the styling of say the Chambers New England Fowler stock in Virgina area?

 

I would think French guns were not too common in 1740s VA. VA was a very British colony. The mass migrations that brought varied peoples (and presumably their guns) into Va from parts north was mainly later in time.

 

[Mike Brooks]

If you're going to do 1740's VA. You better find an english fowler to play with. The only lock available today that is suitable for that early time period on an english fowler is the new british lock that Davis just came out with.

 

[paulvallandigham]

WADR, my ancestors were in Virginia in the 1640's, and they were from what is now Belgium. Britain sent a lost of European Protestants fleeing persecution under the Spanish Inquisition to the colonies because it did not really want these foreigners in Great Britain. Spain owned the LowLands in the 1600's, and took its Inquistion to those countries on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church, to help stamp out the protestant movement.

It is quite possible that all manner of guns were present in Virginia during the 1740's, as there was very lively commerce in Tobacco by this time with Europe. I recall that Virginia was one of the first Colonies to require all able bodied men to own and train with firearms, and for a tax to be imposed to purchase firearms for those men who did not own their own, with the colony to be repaid for the firearms by the men from future labor.

 

[Okwaho]

I agree with both Mikes here.Prior to the revolution Britain ruled the world of fowlers especially in the South.There were basically two types of English guns.If you were affluent as a planter or member of the gentry, you would get a "gentleman's fowling piece"These were stocked in fine English walnut with an occasional gun having curly walnut. The best of these {although it applies primarily to pistols}were silver mounted{sterling not "German"}, the next best and the most often seen fine fowlers had steel mounts.
The lowest grade had brass mounts.
If you couldn't afford the brass mounted fowlers then the Carolina/Type G guns were available for a few shillings.These were the cheap but light and well made guns traded to Indians or sold to whoever could afford them.As others have said it is highly unlikely that Dutch,French, German, or liegeois guns were present in any great quantity in pre revolutionary Virginia.There were of course rifles being made but information on such guns is extremely sketchy and to date NO signed or definitely attributable early{pre- Revolutionary War} Virginia guns have turned up.They are out there we just can't prove their origin yet.
Tom Patton

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Thanks guys for the responses. I had thought along those lines but wanted to make sure from the wealth of knowledge here.
I found that prior to the 1740's the indians in VA were using a lot of Dutch guns but their aquistion was thru different means than the VA settler. Everything seems to be mostly British import.
Thanks again.