MVTC Tulle Fusil de Chasse (w/Pics)

[Russ T Frizzen]

Yes Chuck. What we are talking about here is a piece of the breech about an inch wide and and long. I don't believe this was cut from a burst barrel, but rather was an exploratory dissection of a barrel by someone Leonard knows. The actual quality of the steel was unknown, at least to me, but was very thin considering it was the threaded portion of the breech. The threads start off clean and strong at the very end of the barrel and remain so for a few turns and then begin to fade as they get deeper into the bore. I would think that the threads would hold the breech plug in place for an unknown number of shots. I'd think quite a few. The problem would develop when corrosion ate away enough good threads and the plug blew out.

This is only one gun and I don't know the maker or seller. I don't think Leonard did either. What I would suggest is that any one buying an Indian made gun check the outside dimension of the barrel at the breech. If it seems too small in relation to the bore--particularly on a musket--it might be wise to avoid that specific seller's gun. I would think that the Log Cabin Shop would be the safest place to buy from as they would know to check this sort of thing. MVTC and Loyalist might--I don't know.

Muskets were made in India back in the day as were matchlocks for centuries, some of them quite lovely. It's not that they can't make good, safe guns, it's more that they are being asked to build them to a price, often by people who aren't that knowledgeable about muzzleloaders.

 

[don1836]

Try one of those green Scotch-Brite pan scrubbers. They usually work well. Or Naval jelly will leave it looking a grey color and then you can buff it up a little with 0000 steel wool until you like the look. I did a pistol this way and like it better than the scrubber, but the scrubber is cheaper.

Or you can rub it down with a wet, fouling covered patch when you are cleaning it. That'll do it too.

Thanks Dan,

I think I'll try the Naval jelly. I'm afraid using the scotch-brite pan scrubbers might streak it a little. (although it do use them to clean my Bess when it rusts over).

Any ideas how to 'defarb' the wood? I believe the Indians make them with teak and then use a walnut stain. Really gives it a very feaux look to it. Just not dark or red enough like a good maple or custom stock of the period.

 

[Mike Brooks]

It's not teak, Teak is a hard wood, these Indian guns are made from a really soft wood.

 

[don1836]

It's not teak, Teak is a hard wood, these Indian guns are made from a really soft wood.

Thanks Mike. I thought I had read an earlier post somewhere that these guns were made of teak. I'm curious what wood is used before trying to refinish it. I'll give MVTC a call this week unless someone here knows.
ps. Perhaps I'm just too lazy to search thru the threads.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Some of the early guns had teakwood stocks, but teak ain't cheap. I don't know what they use now. You can remove the finish and reshape the stock using photos of original guns as a guide. Then refinish with one of the available wipe on finishes but darkened to hide whatever grain the wood has.

 

[Mike Brooks]

It's not teak, Teak is a hard wood, these Indian guns are made from a really soft wood.

Thanks Mike. I thought I had read an earlier post somewhere that these guns were made of teak. I'm curious what wood is used before trying to refinish it. I'll give MVTC a call this week unless someone here knows.
ps. Perhaps I'm just too lazy to search thru the threads.

I had a pistole here that I re did. The wood was white, porous and so soft it wouldn't hold an inlet.....sort of a press in inlet sort of thing...maybe that's why the inletting is always so bad on those things...that and they use dull screw drivers as chisles. :haha:

 

[Al Parsons]

I haven't seen any custom built Fuzees de chasse so I have no frame of reference.

Original Fuzees de chasse are slim,graceful, and are light yet sturdy guns.

Here's one from Eric Kettenburg:

Or, it would be if I knew how to upload the pic. How frustrating!

 

[Al Parsons]

OK, it looks like I'm learning. Now I just have to enlarge it. give me time folks.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Crop your photo so we see just the gun , not the patio furniture. Helps to see details of the gun that way

 

[chuckpa]

Rusty
I want to make sure that I understand you correctly, the piece of breech and and plug that you saw at Mr. Day's was not identified as being from an Indian made gun specifically and the origin of manufacturer is unknown? Is that correct?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

It was from an Indian made gun. I didn't ask who the maker was. Due to the thinness of the metal, I am pretty sure it was tubing, rather than the heavier breeches I have seen on other guns from India. The threads were problematic too, and together would eventually be a problem. I'm sure you've seen Indian muskets where the breech area is quite thick and tapers toward the muzzle. That wouldn't be possible with this barrel and is why I think the sample came from a seamless tubing barrel. I want to stress that this sample came from a dissected barrel and not a burst one.

Since the latest thread on these guns, I have discovered that if you put in a large enough order, there are people in India that will build guns for you to pretty much any standard you specify and that a gun with the vent undrilled doesn't have to meet any safety criteria at all. This may prove to be the source of many if not most of the negative information about these guns. Anyone seeing and handling these guns would be put off by them. Visualise a French musket or a Brown Bess with a barrel that runs straight from breech to muzzle with no taper and it would look very odd indeed. But the seller could undercut other dealers by a good amount using the savings. That's the only reason I can see for doing this.

 

[Al Parsons]

This is the Fusee de Chasse that Eric Kettenburg made for me.

OK, I officially give up. Must be me.

 

[Mike Brooks]

email me the pic and I'll post it for you.

 

[Al Parsons]

Thanks, Mike. Email flying your way - with pics.

Al

 

[rich pierce]

hmmm could not make your url work

 

[biliff]

Lets see if this works.

Oh well, thought I could get it bigger than that.

 

[Mike Brooks]

 

[rabjr]

Almost a crime to have that posted on this thread, it needs it's own thread. Beautiful gun. :bow:

 

[Al Parsons]

Hi Swampy. I drove to Eric's place in the Fall of 2006 to pick this one up. In November 2006, I created a thread for it complete with pics, which worked for me at that time.

I don't know if this will help at all but I'll type the url that evidently still exists. It was topic number 199493. The url is as follows:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/199493/post/330271/hl//fromsearch/1/

 

[Ed Pilkington]

I would prefer to believe these weapons were as different as the people carrying them and the builders themselves often saw the individual character and soul of the wood and metal as it came to life for each person. Throughout the recent history of man however, it seems his greed led him to find the quickest and easiest way to produce a product and sell it as the official, authentic original item. ‘You can have the same car as long as it’s Black’. Thousands are sold, the builder and his process to great wealth is revered. It is here where i feel we lost the way of creating from the inside, one draw knife slice, one tempered blow with the hot hammer, and sitting with that unfinished rifle for as long as it would take to shape not just a piece of wood and metal but a true piece of themselves, one unique authentic original after another.

Esperance in HIM