Seeking a Maker for a Flintlock Wall Gun

[William Naquin]

I'm looking for a suitable gunmaker to produce a heavy 18th century style, iron-furnished flintlock wall gun. Grateful for any suggestions.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hope you have a very high limit platinum credit card.
Just finding someone to make the lock might prove to be an interesting quest. Good luck.

 

[jdkerstetter]

The only source of parts I know of for a wall gun are from The Rifle Shoppe:
http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/english_arms/(727).htm

It doesn't say if it's brass or steel mounted and they may be able to accomodate you either way.

As you can see the parts alone will run $1450 with an assembled lock. A little less for just the lock castings, but I doubt you can get it built elsewhere for what they charge.

Now, getting the parts from them is another matter. It could take years....and I'm not exaggerating. Even if they tell you they have them all in stock it could be months.

As far as a builder, one of any repute is going to charge you at least the cost of the parts to assemble it....and likely more as it is no small project. It will be a big pain in the rear just manuvering that barrel around the bench.

All that said, if you can get the parts you can likely have your wall gun for under $5K and if that's what your after it's a good deal. The looks you'll get would be worth it and compaired to a cannon it's cheap entertainment. :thumbsup:

Good luck. I hope that helps. Enjoy the journey, J.D.

 

[Alden]

A gun's basically a gun. A bigger one is bigger. $5k? You're going to the wrong assemblers...

The Rifle Shoppe? NEVER buy the castings!

A) Ask if they have all the parts for the whole kit and only buy it if they say "yes" otherwise I assure you it will be years and you won't have an idea how many... And then don't believe them anyway -- they make mistakes, lie, and realize that parts they have are broken after they physically check. You hope.

B) Buy ONLY an assembled lock -- it is THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ASSURED YOU WILL GET ALL, AND THE RIGHT, PARTS! Don't worry, you'll still have to work on the lock becasue it won't be finished, just be barely assembled -- consider it part of the basic cost. Insurance!

 

[jdkerstetter]

Cut me a little slack. I said under $5K! :haha:

But for what it's worth, I wouldn't want just any assembler for a gun like this.....or any gun for that matter.

You know there's a little more to this then some assembly and good gunstocker or 'smith is going to get your architecture right and it's worth spending a little more money.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Ben Coogle made the wall gun used by thd First Royal Regiment of Foot. Its a solid and reliable long range musket. Its built of Rifle Shoppe parts. The furniture will be brass. Expect long build times.

You won't be able to fire it from your shoulder. $5K now might not be too far off the price. Its very difficult to find the large flints for that lock. Rich Pierce found them difficult to make in that 1 1/2 inch size.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

A gun's basically a gun. A bigger one is bigger. $5k? You're going to the wrong assemblers...

The Rifle Shoppe? NEVER buy the castings!

A) Ask if they have all the parts for the whole kit and only buy it if they say "yes" otherwise I assure you it will be years and you won't have an idea how many... And then don't believe them anyway -- they make mistakes, lie, and realize that parts they have are broken after they physically check. You hope.

B) Buy ONLY an assembled lock -- it is THE ONLY WAY YOU ARE ASSURED YOU WILL GET ALL, AND THE RIGHT, PARTS! Don't worry, you'll still have to work on the lock becasue it won't be finished, just be barely assembled -- consider it part of the basic cost. Insurance!

TRS is far from as bad as some people seem to think, where Alden get's his information from, I don't know. The Rifle Shoppe's castings are excellent and very accurate copies of originals - that is from personal experience, not internet rumor. Will you wait? Yes, it is very possible, even likely since not everyone wants a wall gun and they cast the parts when they are needed. The best is worth waiting for.

As far as a maker capable of doing the best work? Of course there is TRS themselves but Mike Brooks is the one that I would choose, see an example of his work on a wall gun here:
http://www.fowlingguns.com/militarygun4.html

Made from parts from The Rifle Shoppe, it weighs 38 pounds.

For more information on Mike's excellent work and for contact information, Mike's website is:
http://fowlingguns.com/

 

[jdkerstetter]

+1 for Mike Brooks. A build like this is right in his wheelhouse....and if anything he under-prices himself....he has a reputation of having very reasonable prices for the level of work he does.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Robby]

Roy Stroh is another option, excellent work. Where is Roy, haven't heard from him in a while?!?
Robby

 

[Donald J. Craig]

Good evening:
I have a one inch bore wall gun or punt gun, which is flintlock, and approximately six feet in length or longer with a hole in the forestock for a yoke. Its weight is 55 to 60 pounds. The gun has a Garibaldi armouries connection from Italy and is in fully operational condition. If its not a wall gun it would easily be converted with its giant features, which I would guess as one third scale larger than a standard flintlock. If you want to see images and discuss price contact me thru this forum.

 

[Shine]

He is trying to move to maine. WOOO HOOO cheaper shipping :thumbsup:

 

[Alden]

...TRS is far from as bad as some people seem to think, where Alden get's his information from, I don't know.

I get my information from actually having dealt with TRS for many, many, years now. Long before Jesse was even on death's door and TRS was at its lowest. Even the last, complete, assembled-lock gun I bought from him (Dec. 2011) was in such bad shape that it took four months to get, arguments about whether they had shipped it, the same excuses about certain failed components being fixed month after month, and after receipt parts of the stock inletting had to be rebuilt!

I shouldn't complain... The one before that, which TRS couldn't even build themselves it was so badly done, needed parts made and work by two gunsmiths in two countries to function!

And their latest venture of the Newtown musket clearly wasn't even a matchlock to start with but was a cheaply repaired snaphaunce. So much for historical accuracy!

Great idea, weak execution, poor quality control, terrible fulfillment, and the worst customer service!

I repeat: If you want a gun from TRS to (have) assemble(d) buy only if they tell you they have the complete kit (NEVER wait for a part to be made, I beg you, just give it up) and buy only assembled locks to help, HELP I say, assure all the parts are there, fit, and work.

And obviously I'm not the only one who feels that way which is why they have the negative reputation they do...

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

:idunno:

Very different from my experiences.

 

[redneck]

check with benny coogle hes made a bunch of them Benny Coogle of Ogelthorpe,