NW Trade guns and fowlers

[Rifleman1776]

Arguably Curley did start the craze for the trade gun. I knew Curley in the 70s when few were interested in flint smoothies at all. The 'buckskinners' of the time largely ignored the timeline of events during the fur trade era and claimed the only gun a 'real mountain man' would have was a Hawken. Curley was as fine a person as you would want to ever know. He was a champion camp cook and shared with anyone that came by. He is missed but he did create a legacy as shown by the now wide interest in trade guns.

 

[Huntschool]

I did this to my old Centermark Fusil de Chasse this past summer. Why,?, ‘cause I wanted to! Don’t care about it’s PC-ness. They are a bit of a fantasy anyway.

Great job on the gun. I really like the look "fantasy" or not.....

 

[Huntschool]

Arguably Curley did start the craze for the trade gun. I knew Curley in the 70s when few were interested in flint smoothies at all. The 'buckskinners' of the time largely ignored the timeline of events during the fur trade era and claimed the only gun a 'real mountain man' would have was a Hawken. Curley was as fine a person as you would want to ever know. He was a champion camp cook and shared with anyone that came by. He is missed but he did create a legacy as shown by the now wide interest in trade guns.

Curley was a good friend. I spent a lot of time BS'ing about trade guns with him. He was the keeper of the "bull pen" (adult beverages) for me when my wife and I hosted an AMM Eastern at our property here in Southernmost IL.

He offered to make me a Chiefs Grade gun but I did not take advantage of that offer. Sorry I did not do it. What a gun that would have been. He certainly left a legacy for many to follow. I had a phone conversation with "Kiwi" a month or two back and we reminisced about Curley a good deal.

RIP old buddy..... you left us a lot to look at.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I made the mistake of camping next to curly and his gang of drunks at the '83 midwestern. Never again.

 

[smo]

Great pics so far folks.

So, with trade guns and fowlers in mind, do you consider yourself to be a buckskinner. Perhaps an added note might be whether or not you do the rendezvous stuff..... Just asking....

I’m to broke down too be a Skinner’, but I wish I could have had
that opportunity when I was younger.

I didn’t have a clue anything like that still existed, least not East of the Big Muddy.

Nowadays I consider myself a hunter, that loves too shoot.

I enjoy doing monthly club shoots as well as I make 5 or 6 Rendezvous a year if possible .

I can only imagine the shinin’ times that were had!

 

[Einsiedler]

Great job on the gun. I really like the look "fantasy" or not.....

Thanks Huntschool. Found a pic of a German fowler and I said what the heck!

 

[Huntschool]

Thanks Huntschool. Found a pic of a German fowler and I said what the heck!

German..... LOL Go figure..... I love the beer gardens and wurst fests in the "Hill Country."

 

[Einsiedler]

German..... LOL Go figure..... I love the beer gardens and wurst fests in the "Hill Country."

Well,,,,,,, yeah!

( Hauled a load of steer calves to auction barn in Fritztown several weeks ago for my old compenēro).

 

[bushytail]

I have a 58 cal trade gun I bought used. I added the antiqued tacks. About a year or so later I bought a 58 cal trade pistol kit I built from Noth Star West Trade Gun Co. to go with my trade gun. I like that I can shoot shot or round ball. I've got a few deer, a lot of squirrels and a turkey. I think I did the picture right.

 

[smoothflinter]

I had put together a flintlock fowler in the late 90's. I contacted Curley at NSW for a 42" 20 gauge barrel. They had the best price on a smoothbore barrels and had a breech plug already installed. Seemed to me it cost $90. Used a Durs Egg lock and Pecatonica Long Rifle Supply stock (just 20 miles away) in cherry wood. The barrel was a good weight and the gun balances beautifully. I only placed an order with him once and this was my only discussion with him. If it was still possible I would buy a pistol length barrel from him. I still have the brochure somewhere from back then.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

if you went to the fur traders musem east of chardron ne a little bit, their are 100/s of the real deal rifles what you are interested in. most flinters but some converted to preucssion. some are even for sale and they are originals.

 

[Huntschool]

I have always been amazed at the numbers of "trade guns" that were shipped to the colonies for the trade. Seems like every native in the East and surely every western trapper should have had one. When we really started shooting smooth bore trade guns a lot of folks laughed and said it was dumb. Then the interest caught on and eventually moved on to American built fowlers.... It all makes sense when you think about it. The sheer duplicity of the guns made perfect sense.

I still see a number of folks at rendezvous carrying them around and the shoots that many buckskin clubs sponsor now have trade gun or smooth bore matches. Neat, dont ya think.

I have always wanted a Chiefs Grade long barrel gun..... too little to late...….

Thanks to everyone who has posted so far.

 

[Lobo]

A 20ga smoothbore made for me by a loco maker, I named it "Two-Fer" because on it's maiden hunt I killed two deer with one shot. It likes 80gr's of 2FF behind a patched 590rb. That load went clear through this buffalo.

 

[Lobo]

 

[Lobo]

The two deer killed by "Two-Fer", the ball went through the first and stopped just under the far side of the hide of the 2nd deer.

 

[Lobo]

My 20ga Center Mark Fusil de

 

[Lobo]

My latest smoothbore a 16ga Fusil Fine, 46" barrel I named "Matilda"

 

[Lobo]

 

[Lobo]

Large Siler, reworked and unbridled

 

[Lobo]

My next gun in the works is a Wilson Trade gun with a 48" 20ga barrel. Smoothbores are definitely addicting.