Show us your black powder burners

Middle one in the above photo,
Early one by William Bailes, Bloomsbury, Camden Town. (London)
Very interesting, as it is one of his earliest works whilst in Russell Street, before he moved into (The name will come but not yet!)
made in the 1740's. Converted from flint.
Some would convert it back to flint, but Someone thought enough about it to bring it up to date with percussion ignition, and it is a part of its story.
It was still seen as a viable pistol, maybe 100 years after it was made. The style of the hammer says about 1840.
It needed bits making. Fixed the trigger, rather than make all new, new trigger guard.
Screw off barrel, and .60 cal or about 22 bore. chamber holds 40 grains of powder and as the ball is a mechanical fit, it really lets rip when fired.
One of my first shots was at a 25 gallon barrel.
shot high, just over the top, and the ball went clear through my workshop wall, and lodged in the bench at the far side!
Put holes right through an oil drum.
As it came..

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fixed up...
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Pukka Bundook said:
Another orphan fixed up, lovely lock. had to make a mainspring..
plus the swivel rammer...
Smith, London, converted from flint..17 bore or .650"
Click to expand...
???????? I thought you were a Farmer, not a gunsmith?
Looking at the Lock, I am well impressed. That is a superb job. I still have your email from our other incarnations, elsewhere. I will be in touch regarding the methods used, regarding the mainspring.
A good friend has a double percussion sporting gun, and the left mainspring is broken. We have searched Arms Fairs near and far for a suitable replacement, with no success.
 
Robin,
Making mainsprings is about as much fun as bomb disposal.
Had to make two or three top lever springs for doubles recently, and have a pair of mainsprings to make for a French boxlock.
Then a big mainspring for a French double flintlock.
I will PM you. Or email.
Thats easier to hit the keys than this phone!
Wil just say, after making a spring its awful nerve wracking Trying it gently, working it and wondering if it will blow up in your face.
Think bomb disposal!
Where did your mates mainspring break?
Daft as owt, l welded one broken right at the bend, and its worked beautifully for over 40 years.
Has a thick glob of weld but flexes and is a lovely spring still!

Made a mainspring for Pommies Tranter he got from me.
Made if to fit mine and sent it off and it fit his and works like it should.
Mainsprings give you grey hair though..
 
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Frederick Williams said:
It is. 👍 Though it poses a few questions. What configuration was the rifle, and did it have a hexagon bore?
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Sorry, but I do not know.
I saved the information about the lock that was an answer to a question about a rifle maker.
I had not heard of Brazier but did know Whitworth had a factory in Manchester.
 
This is my Colt Navy .36. It was made in 1971 the first year of the 2nd generation Colts. Apparently these were made from Uberti parts but all fitting and finishing done at Hartford. I bough it a few years ago from a dealer who said
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IT HAD NEVER BEEN FIRED. I just can't bring myself to use it.
 
Here's one I was never able to identify. It's unusual in that it was a 7 shot. Some said a Webley, but apparently all Webley "Smith copies" had a patent number. Someone else said Tranter, and apparently the flower in the engraving was a tranter Identifying mark. I was told that Tranter made these after the patent had expired. No longer own it, sold at auction last year, and of course I lost money on it
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