This flint lock fowler features 1750 to 1780 era styling with brass trim, curly maple stock, and round faced lock. The fowler is assembled around a 20 gauge octagon-to-round barrel mated to a round faced L&R Queen Anne lock. This fowler is offered in used condition with a bright clean bore. The trigger reach is 12-1/4" to fit today's smaller size shooter. Weight is 7.4 pounds.
The 20 gauge by 42" octagon-to-round barrel is octagon the first 12" with a single wedding band transition before turning round and tapering towards the muzzle. We recommend our 20 gauge wads and cards for use with the .620" diameter bore. The bore is bright and is ready to shoot. The exterior of the barrel is finished to a silvery-brown patina that appears to have naturally developed. The barrel is fitted with a brass blade front sight soldered 2-1/4" behind the muzzle. We note the browned finish is polished bright around the front sight. A flat top rear sight is dovetailed 9" ahead of the breech. The breech is fitted with a flared tang with single bolt that passes through the stock to engage the trigger plate below. Three pins retain the barrel to the forearm.
The maple stock is finished to a medium brown with golden undertones and features raised and incised carving. The top view shows the raised carving that surrounds the flared tang and the pointed comb of the brass buttplate. The buttplate is wide and flat to help absorb the recoil from this 20 gauge bore. Incised carving highlights the transition from the comb to the wrist. A simple two piece brass patchbox is fitted in the center of the buttstock. Push back on the spring to release the patchbox door to reveal a deep cut cavity for storing extra flints or shooting accessories. Incised carving flows down from the comb of the buttplate, surrounds the patchbox, and flows along the toe line before terminating at the rear of the triggerguard.
The bottom view shows the rounded toe of the buttstock. We note some chipping of the wood along the toe where it meets the buttplate. The long brass triggerguard is mounted with a screw in the rear and a pin up front. The triggerguard also has small file marks that were not fully polished out. The 3/8" wooden ramrod passes through two brass pipes with ringed ends. The ramrod is not fitted with any tips to accept cleaning and loading accessories. We recommend our #RAMROD-C-44-10 to service this fowler. Raised carving surrounds the forearm where the ramrod enters the stock, no entry pipe is used on this fowler. This carving flows upward and creates a molding along the ramrod channel. No muzzle cap is fitted to help protect the end grain of the stock. A large beaver tail cheek provides a comfortable rest when aiming this fowler, and it is surrounded by incised carving. The side panel is fitted with a long brass sideplate shaped in serpent style, and two dome head bolts retain the lock on the opposite side. A small wood screw retains the sideplate tail to the side panel.
The large round faced English fowling gun lock, sometimes called a "Queen Anne" lock, dates from the 1730 to 1760 period, well after Anne's reign ended. These early London style locks are often found on Colonial American long rifles and fowlers. This lock was assembled by L&R Lock Company. The lock is polished bright, and has developed some light brown speckling from use. The single trigger is pinned high, for best leverage, giving this lock a smooth easy trigger release. We recommend our Tom Fuller 7/8" hand-knapped English gun flints, #FLINT-ENG-7, for this lock. Fast ignition is assured by the direct drilled touch hole, positioned well above the bottom of the pan, centered on the heat of the flash. If your flint longrifle suffers from that infamous slow whoosh-bang ignition delay, study the work of today's best gun makers, and position your vent well centered on the pan, high above the bottom, to serve as a window on the center of the flash.
This 20 gauge smoothbore is ready for your Colonial or Revolutionary War impression. It will also be a joy to carry in the field for your next bird hunt. Offered in used condition with a bright bore, it is ready to shoot! Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
