This is an interesting question here in regards to left handed guns during the trade gun period which encompasses the 17th through the 19th centuries.The major players,the French,English,Dutch and to some degree the Spanish were all sending guns to America prior to the Revolution for gifts,sale,and trading. After the Revolution the British continued to send guns{known as "Carolina Guns"} to Canada and the Americans were selling and trading guns in the United States.The French continued this trade until about 1803, the date of the Louisiana Purchase after which the Americans sent guns to what had been first Spanish and later French territory.These guns were distributed to a wide range of users. The Tulle guns of the French were made under contract with the King until 1741 when Tulle lost it's contract. Prior to that Tulle guns had been distributed to high ranking officials,the Milice,the Compagnies de franches,and other white men. Some,and this is somewhat confusing as to the numbers,were distributed to "the allied Indian Chiefs" and presumably other important Indians as "gifts".Those guns sent over as "trade guns" were manufactured by various manufacturies such as St.Etienne, Maubege,Charleville,and others including various individual makers including many made in Liege,Belgium.Some of these had furnished trade guns prior to the initial contract between Tulle and the Ministry de la Marine in 1691 and continued to do so throughout the trade gun era. By the contract of 1691{which has not been found} the King bought guns exclusively from Tulle but the 1694 contract included "five muskets for the Indian Chiefs".The English were distributing guns to Indians as early as 1699 and between that date and 1716, the English Board of Ordnance purchased 1780 guns. There was a hiatus between 1716 and 1813 but between 1813-1816 26,801 guns were purchased by the Board of Ordnance. A number of these guns,which included pistols,were intended to curry favor with the Indians during the War of 1812 but most of them arrived too late.
You're probably wondering where I'm going. Well here we go.
I'm not sure about the Dutch and Spanish and haven't really gotten into the American gun trade yet so I'll stick to the French and English.Both distributed guns to Indians and the French Ministry de la marine purchased its guns from Tulle until 1741.After 1739 Tulle and St.Etienne abandoned the manufacture of grenadier muskets and I am not sure as to whether the French government continued its practice of gift guns to Indians between 1741 and 1760, the end of the Seven Years War.
Now there were basically two categories of guns,Indian and non-Indian guns.Indian guns were either gifts or were sold by traders.These would have been Tulle guns gifted to Indians by the French or Board of Ordnance guns gifted by the English. All others were trade guns acquired by Indians from traders in the fur or deer hide trade and after 1741 would have included Tulle guns.The acquisition of these guns from traders was not limited to Indians.Many whites bought French fusils de chasse,both ordinaire or fin and these are usually referred to by collectors and students as Bourgeois guns.Tulle guns distributed personnel working for the King,fur traders,the milice and others. Fusil fins or fine guns were given to persons of rank,officers,and the allied Indian chiefs.The English Board of Ordnance guns were distributed only to Indians and I'm not sure which Indians.All other guns were sold or traded by traders to both Indians and Whites and are referred to as "guns" or sometimes ostin the South as "Carolina Guns".
T. M. Hamilton in "Colonial Frontier Guns",PP.60-61 illustrates a left handed fusil fin and stated{as of 1980} that it was the only left handed 18th century gun to be recovered archealogically.I have no doubt that there were left handed guns used in America or that they were used by Indians.I do seriously doubt that these guns were trade guns rather that they were either ordered specifically by a white purchaser, brought over by a White man,or that some trader stocked a left handed
[url] gun.In[/url] any event they are almost equal to hen's teeth in rarity.The reason you see Caywood and others offering left handed guns is to satisfy a demand by left handed reenactors and/or shooters like canoe guns,blanket guns, and chopped down Brown Besses and or Charleville carbines.
I hope I haven't confused you too much.
Tom Patton
