Fusil de Chasse ... options & ideas?

[Nailcreek]

I've recently gotten interested in the French Fusil de Chasse smoothbore and have been poking around for reference information and quite possibly adding one the the collection.

I'm on the search for what appears to be a key reference (in the WTB area) and have been searching the interwebs. All that said, who makes a close replica? I've read about Centermark (apparently out of business) and understand there are others currently available. While I don't think that I'm up for building one, I could likely handle the final finishing.

Suggestions as to what out on the market - new or gently used?

 

[tenngun]

Sitting Fox will 1) compleat one for you, 2) do it in the white , where all you have to do is sand and finish 3) kit with as much or as little as you want done.
they are not as accurate a copy as one would get building on their own. And they are less expensive so if you buy done the work may be second class
Loyalist arms imports an Indian copy. It’s on teak and heavier then originals. It’s very shinny and needs be taken down a notch
They leave too much wood on and should be lighted.
Indian guns are safe to fire.
pecotonic and Track of the wolf offer kits, but while not master craftsman level are a bit of work for a newbie. However if you take your time you can do well with little experience, and Track will custom do some of the fits for you, till it’s almost an in the white kit. This will be a very high quality gun at a lower price.

 

[jackpine54]

I have a TVM Tulle in plain maple. I have had it for 9 or 10 years. It's probably not exactly historically correct, but it's close enough for me. Mine is left hand version and I have absolutely no complaints. It's taken 2 nice bucks, several does, grouse, woodcock, ducks, geese, rabbits and a ton of squirrels.

 

[oldwood]

Jackpine..........Sounds like you have a universal caliber , may I ask what it is?? Mine is 16 ga. , but haven't tried it out yet..........oldwood

 

[Brokennock]

I've recently gotten interested in the French Fusil de Chasse smoothbore and have been poking around for reference information and quite possibly adding one the the collection.

I'm on the search for what appears to be a key reference (in the WTB area) and have been searching the interwebs. All that said, who makes a close replica? I've read about Centermark (apparently out of business) and understand there are others currently available. While I don't think that I'm up for building one, I could likely handle the final finishing.

Suggestions as to what out on the market - new or gently used?

The biggest issue you will run in to trying to obtain a true and exact copy of a Fusil des Chase is the barrel. There just aren't a lot of barrels long enough and/or of the right profile, out there.
Then there are a bunch of small details some folks argue about. Some stuff about a measurement if the Centermark trigger guard not being correct.
Also, too many of the more easily obtained copies made here are stocked in maple. Should be walnut. And if American walnut is used it should be finished using the methods @dave_person uses to make it look like European or English walnut.

For a builder who gets them right.
I hear legends of a man named Alex Afremenko (I am very certain I spell his least name wrong)

 

[French Colonial]

I vote for getting a Caywood and having someone finish it for you, if you could get Chuck Edwards to do it you would find yourself with a treasure.

 

[jackpine54]

Jackpine..........Sounds like you have a universal caliber , may I ask what it is?? Mine is 16 ga. , but haven't tried it out yet..........oldwood

It's a 20 gauge, measures out at .615".
I use a .595" RB and .010 patch for deer. As long as I keep velocity up it's paper plate accurate to 70 yards. I use #2 bismuth for waterfowl, #5 lead for squirrels and #6 or #7 lead for birds and bunnies. FYI- geese are the toughest. I don't try unless they're landing gear down, in other words close.
I'd think 16 gauge would be perfect.

 

[oldwood]

Jackpine......My French Indian musket is 16 ga. , just slightly larger than your 20 ga. , but I'm excited to get to the range and light this musket off to see what it will do. Most of my deer shooting is from a ladder stand and mostly 6o yds. or less. Thanks for the load info for your 20 Ga. , I'll put it in my log in case someone wants to know. The local turkeys are in for a fire smoke and lead party this Spring..............oldwood

 

[jackpine54]

Jackpine......My French Indian musket is 16 ga. , just slightly larger than your 20 ga. , but I'm excited to get to the range and light this musket off to see what it will do. Most of my deer shooting is from a ladder stand and mostly 6o yds. or less. Thanks for the load info for your 20 Ga. , I'll put it in my log in case someone wants to know. The local turkeys are in for a fire smoke and lead party this Spring..............oldwood

Good luck on the turkeys! I believe you'll be smiling pretty big once you get working with it.

 

[Cruzatte]

I've recently gotten interested in the French Fusil de Chasse smoothbore and have been poking around for reference information and quite possibly adding one the the collection.

I'm on the search for what appears to be a key reference (in the WTB area) and have been searching the interwebs. All that said, who makes a close replica? I've read about Centermark (apparently out of business) and understand there are others currently available. While I don't think that I'm up for building one, I could likely handle the final finish

Suggestions as to what out on the market - new or gently used?

After reading Russel Bouchard's book The Fusil de Tulle in New France 1691-1741 I've come to the conclusion that no such critter exists...unless you go custom. The second best option is Track of the Wolf's fusil de chasse parts set.

If historical accuracy doesn't matter, then my opinion is just that.

 

[tenngun]

Mine is a Centermark, I have modified it but it is not an accurate copy. It does matter, but remains my favorite gun.

 

[PathfinderNC]

You should think about kit options. I am awaiting delivery of two Fusil de Chase kits. One from Pecatonica and the other from Clay Smith. His Tulle Fusil de Chasse is a model D. I think his kits will make for a terrific Fusil as well as the Pecatonica.

 

[foxm1754]

Larry Horrigan from Hopkins, Michigan.

 

[Flinter 2]

I'm no expert on the Fusil de Chase nor do I claim to be, But, I've owned five accurate representations of the French Fusil de Chase and not one of them is exactly the same as the other, of those, two were custom built for me by two well known makers, two were custom ordered Center Mark Fusils, one in walnut and one stocked in maple, another custom was purchased by me at a local M/L shop.
The not so accurate Fusil was also a Center Mark that I purchased unfired from the original owner, I say it wasn't completely accurate because it was made with the lock on the left side of the stock, other than that IMHO it was accurate.
Now I've read many of the claims made by armchair experts and know it alls, trigger guards, lock plates, butt plate finals, entry pipes, and finally wrong barrel lengths, it's all so much BS.
Every maker of custom M/L arms has usually a library full of books, plans, and drawings as well as the history of the guns that they build and usually clear pictures of original guns, the bottom line being that they do their research to insure as much accuracy as possible.
I've also owned original guns of the late 17th and 18 Century including second and third model Brown Bess muskets, and one thing that I have learned is that no two guns are exactly alike, similar yes, exactly no, Guns in the 16th, 17th, and 18th. Century were built one at a time mostly by cottage industry, there was no tooling mechanized or other to hold tolerances let alone interchangeable parts.
Generally they were all different, there are examples of original French Fusils de Chase that have barrel lengths from 39" to 42"'s and even longer, stock dimensions are all different, metal furniture like trigger guards, and butt plates are similar but not exact.
Trust me, if you find two guns that are exactly alike, they were made by machine, and they are not historically accurate.
I still own and shoot two fine and historically accurate French Fusil de Chase smoothbores, both are made by Center Mark, one in walnut, one in dark curly maple, and being true to historical correctness, they are not exactly alike.

 

[Flinter 2]

Part #2

May I suggest a kit from Kiebler (sic), they are reasonably priced, have excellent quality components, much of the stock shaping and inletting is done at the factory, and any soldering can be done at the factory as well for a nominal fee.
What ever kit that you buy and assemble, take your time with, make it your own, and it will be historically accurate.
Good luck with your search,
Flinter

 

[Grenadier1758]

That's true, @Flinter 2. Many items have been built to pattern. Built to pattern firearms will look alike but don't expect the parts to interchange. That's one of the reasons I am not going to get too worked up over subtle differences between muskets produced to what is supposed to be the same pattern.

 

[Alexander Efremenko]

Not trying to hurt feelings,, just being honest.
I've never seen a Centermark that was historically accurate. I can pick a half dozen thing off the top of my head before I even see it.
Anthony Palazski even said these guns were never meant to be. They were filling a niche that needed filled.

 

[Nailcreek]

Well, I've gone with the TOTW FdC, 44" barrel, iron mounts. I'm waiting on the walnut stock and lock. I was actually able to connect with the authors of the two authoritative books on the subject, as well as a few experts (Alex, included), so the fusil I hope to end up with will hopefully be a good representation of the real thing.

 

[bud in pa]

I have seen that Rice offers a light weight smoothbore barrel . It is made out of 4140 steel which allows it to be lighter than a regular smoothbore barrel. As to all of them having slight differences, remember they were hand made.

 

[tenngun]

Not trying to hurt feelings,, just being honest.
I've never seen a Centermark that was historically accurate. I can pick a half dozen thing off the top of my head before I even see it.
Anthony Palazski even said these guns were never meant to be. They were filling a niche that needed filled.

I have a Centermark, and the styling is eighteenth century in general. But no it is not an historically accurate gun. I’m ok with its problems, but you’ve no need to apologize for hurt feelings. Because facts don’t care about feelings.
And what you say is simple truth