I'm wanting to get a gun common in 1740s and 1750s to North Carolina as my ancestors were doing their thing. So, would white colonists used these or do you think it was mostly Indians?
Nice gun, nice video, looking forward to the next one. As a amateur historian I truly appreciate your videos, even the landscape fits (even though it is not New England).
For the finish you did on the trade gun. You indicated you used red milk paint and varnish. Did you p a int the stock then added varnish or mixed varnish with the paint.
There are originals listed that are described as "red handle" trade or butchers knives. It may be a reference to the wood type that was used or could have been painted. It is totally possible.
I’m wanting to do a painted finish on my next gun, about March or April What steps are there to painting and protecting the paint afterwards to keep durable?
I sand the stock to 220 grit. Then use 2 coats of milk paint gently steel wooling in-between coats. I follow that up with 3 coats of true oil varnish, then gently buff out with 0000 steel wool dipped in mineral oil. Wipe dry, then a coat of paste wax buffed on then off. Seems to hold up really good.
Would love to have one, but with a dark whiskey stain (not painted), a 48 - 50 inch barrel, .62 cal. and no brass band at the ramrod inlet. Would also like the fancy scrolled sideplare. Have met Clay Smith a few times when Iived in Williamsburg a few yrs, ago.
Sweet piece Ben, the simple elegance of the Trade Gun captured beautifully. I have a 20 Gauge by Mike Brooks with the wrist mended in the traditional way with copper sheet and homemade iron nails, well under seven pounds also. Your beautiful Trade Knife and Ax are it's constant companions...Best Wishes.
That's a good looking gun. Painted guns definitely catch my eye. My preference would be for brighter colors. I would call that a type G trade gun, the limeys' answer to the preference for French fusils.
Very nice, i have a Northwest Trade Gun made. By David. Dolliver, 36" Colerain barrel oct/round. 2 bands..with a Davis lock..maple stock.. Brass butplate and brass serpant inlaid in wood..a pewter Inlay in top of wrist.. Also browned triger guard.. The one i have is 62 caliber.
@@HoffmanReproductions enjoy yoyr videos. I also just purchased a percussion sxs pedersoli 12 gauge shotgun. And a 54 cal percussion rifle custom built by unknown maker. It does have L&R lock, L & R triggers. A 24" rice barrel twisted 1 in 60. Stocked in AAA curly maple.iron hardware and browned metal.. Looking forward to recieve it.. However im wondering if you know of anybody whom purchased a double barrel fowler from loyalist arms? Im from Nova Scotia , ive not met or heard of anyone buying one.. Being they have 36" barrels i thought would be interesting.
Ben, a clarification please: if that gun has a 46 inch barrel, what is the length of pull? I ask because the gun looks so small when you hold it. Are you particularly tall? 6'5" or thereabouts?
Thanks Ben for clarifying ..... never seen a 46 inch barrel look so short. I checked out the kits, which whilst very nice, show you've done a great job. Thanks for sharing, Gus
@@HoffmanReproductions Really? The lead ball is pretty hard. How hard are you ramming? I would imagine you'd dent or split the bare and of the rod after a while. Isn't the concave end on the metal end designed to seat on the center of the ball? Thanks for the video!
As a rule many I know follow, muzzle loader lead should be soft enough that you can cut into it with your fingernail. When using lead of that density, you can deform it when using the metal end on a ram rod. Historically in most cases, this was how it was done as the other end was only used to attach cleaning gear. No Sir, I load mine pretty lose and never had a problem with it damaging the rod. At the end of the day though, to each his own. If folks prefer to ram with either end of the rod, totally fine with me, as it is just the way I prefer to do it. Thanks for watching!
@@HoffmanReproductions Thank your for your insight! I personally shoot a Brown Bess but am researching American Colonial rifles presently. Many thanks!
Man that thing speaks to me! Sky blue? 🤔 Who knew. I love alcohol staining my tomahawks poles with a yellow. Still see the grain of wood as dark brown. I think the dark yellow rocks! Teach us more about tuning our flintlocks and locks. You musta learned what makes them tick over the years.
Yes Sir, the 18th century saw use of a broad array of dyes & stains. Sounds like a cool coloring on your tomahawk handles! Please see our shooting series of videos on flintlocks here. We talk about some of the ways to make them work well.
@@HoffmanReproductions I just learned about it myself (see p. 11 in D.J. Silverman's book "Thundersticks"). It connotes darkness and 'death' since the gun could kill at a distance, an allusion to similar powers held by native shamans who had experienced visions of the Horned Underwater Serpent.
