Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Non-Parker Specific & General Discussions General Discussions about Other Fine Doubles

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
W.H. Wilson double flint shotgun
Unread 05-27-2010, 12:11 AM   #1
Member
Joe Wood
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 163
Thanks: 146
Thanked 153 Times in 53 Posts

Default W.H. Wilson double flint shotgun

Well, flintlock actions are about the most interesting mechanisms I've ever examined. When understood it becomes apparent they're incredibly complex and to work well all parts have to be balanced with others. In other words, each part has to work smoothly in unison with the whole. This shotgun, made late in the flintlock period, probably 1810-1815, is about as advanced in design as they ever were. Friction had been reduced to the minimum, springs strengthened and tuned with counteracting springs, and steel for sparking perfected. These style locks can give incredibly fast ignition. It is commonly believed that flintlocks give a "whoosh, bang". A good lock and touchole, along with a sharp flint, results in a solid "bang" with no discernable lag in firing.

Though the gun is marked "W.H. Wilson" I think it was most likely made by his relative, Alexander Wilson, late of John Manton. The two Wilsons are known to have occupied the same building on Virgo Street in London.

The gun has about every Manton patent worthwhile, including the grip safety! This safety intercepts the trigger bars. The barrels are 16 bore and made of what is known as "stub twist". Primarily iron forged from discarded handwrought horseshoe nails. This particular iron was considered to be the finest available, containing fewer impurities than any other source (see, The Gun by W. Greener, 1835). The barrels were definitely made in London. It wasn't until twenty or so years later that Continental barrels began to compete with English and finally, by the third quarter of the 19th century English welded barrels were a rarity. I believe the last barrel welded in England was about 1907.

Back to the gun. The action features Manton's patented self-priming breech and the toucholes are platinum. Much finer grained powder was used than commonly preferred today. To load the gun the frizzens were closed, powder was poured down the muzzle and when the wadding and shot was rammed home some of the fine grained powder would flow through the touchole, filling the pan.

As mentioned, the gun has incredibly modern dimensions: the stock is 14 1/4" X 1 5/8" X 2". Barrel is exactly 30" and total weight is 7 pounds 1 ounce! Balance is 5 5/8" ahead of front trigger. It's amazing to realize the double as we know it had reached its final form 200 years ago and for all practical purposes hasn't changed since.

I do not know if the gun has ever been refinished--I'd be surprised if it has not but anything done to it was a long time ago. Wood is still slightly proud in all areas. Bores are perfect (probably honed) but wall thickness at minimum if .042. Engraving is typical of the period--pineapples, drums, fifes, flags, etc. Well executed and sharp on the casehardened locks and tang. Not quite as nice on the buttplate and triggerguard, which were made of soft iron.

Wood is extremely high grade English walnut. Amazing to think it was probably planted in the 14th or 15th century! No cracks.

As you look at the photos try to envision the workman whittling out two locks from scratch that are identical twins. And the barrel forger cleaning the horseshoe nails and then fusing them into a rod capable of withstanding the pressures of a heavy charge. Remember, these barrels predate what we know as damascus, which contain significant amounts of steel for strength.

I have been very fortunate to be the custodian of this gun for the past twenty years. So very few flintlocks survived, fewer yet avoided conversion to percussion and even fewer remained in pristine condition.

I hope y'all enjoy the pictures.

Oh, if any of you ever have any flintlock questions perhaps I can help. I've shot them (not this gun) for over 50 years.



























Last edited by Joe Wood; 06-27-2010 at 12:13 AM..
Joe Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05-27-2010, 12:54 AM   #2
Member
TARNATION !!!
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Jack Cronkhite's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,813
Thanks: 868
Thanked 2,386 Times in 661 Posts

Default

Joe: What a beauty. Thanks for the information and the pictures. Jack
__________________
Hunt ethically. Eat heartily.
Jack Cronkhite is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05-27-2010, 07:55 AM   #3
Member
ch
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
calvin humburg's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,816
Thanks: 1,654
Thanked 640 Times in 351 Posts

Default

Thanks Joe thats top of the list neet. Would'nt it b fun to hunt with a gun like that. Is the touch hole a little bigger 2 let the powder fall through? Did they shoot duplex load pan powder then some 2 or 3 f on top how many grains would you shoot in that gun. A true work of art. Monty witley usually has a couple of them. I like to shoot flint guns also only shot my poor boy. ch
calvin humburg is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05-27-2010, 09:26 PM   #4
Member
Joe Wood
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 163
Thanks: 146
Thanked 153 Times in 53 Posts

Default

Calvin, thanks for the compliment. Powder: all the research I've seen would indicate they did not use some fine grained priming powder as we do. Whatever powder was used for the load was also the priming powder. I believe the powders used were much finer grained than what is currently used. So, the powder poured down the muzzle was fine enough to jet out the touchole. I shoot a Manton styled late flint pistol (made by Hege in Germany many years ago) with a similar frizzen/touchole arrangement. 3f will jet through to fill the pan. With my American longrifles I usually drill the touchole 5/64", which is pretty large. I can load it with the frizzen closed and enough powder jets through to fill the pan. Examination of many original guns reveals most of them had large toucholes. It has commonly been attributed to erosion but too many of them have not been fired enough to wear the holes. I've chronographed rifles that started with tiny toucholes and incrementally enlarged them. I did not notice any loss of velocity. In fact--and I think this was a quirk--my highest velocity was registered with the largest hole! Go figure.

Trivia: tiny horns we call "priming horns" were probably not made to carry powder but salt!
Joe Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Joe Wood For Your Post:
Unread 06-26-2010, 11:10 PM   #5
Member
CFWs
Forum Associate

Member Info
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 23
Thanks: 11
Thanked 21 Times in 12 Posts

Default

Joe,
That is a magnificent piece. Thanks for sharing the photos.
Craig Smith is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Craig Smith For Your Post:
Visit Craig Smith's homepage!
Unread 06-27-2010, 12:11 AM   #6
Member
Joe Wood
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 163
Thanks: 146
Thanked 153 Times in 53 Posts

Default

Hi, Craig.......
Thanks for the note. Yup, it is a nice gun and I am incredibly fortunate to be the current custodian of it.

I often admire the browning you did on my little single shot. Beautiful, and it just looks "right". I do appreciate your effort.

Joe

Last edited by Joe Wood; 06-27-2010 at 07:22 PM..
Joe Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Joe Wood For Your Post:
Unread 08-09-2010, 09:14 PM   #7
Member
David Hamilton
Forum Associate

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 289
Thanks: 290
Thanked 75 Times in 56 Posts

Default

This period coincides with a high water mark in the manufacture of english watches and clocks. david
David Hamilton is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-30-2022, 11:26 PM   #8
Member
Joe Wood
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 163
Thanks: 146
Thanked 153 Times in 53 Posts

Default

I need to update these photos.
Joe Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-30-2022, 11:57 PM   #9
Member
Ken Hill
PGCA Member
 
Ken Hill's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 738
Thanks: 958
Thanked 773 Times in 383 Posts

Default

I hadn't seen this post from 2010. Thanks for bringing it back to the top. A very nice gun and discussion. Does the wood look as good on the right as your picture shows on the left?

Ken
Ken Hill is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 03-31-2022, 10:36 AM   #10
Member
charlie cleveland
Forum Associate

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 12,986
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7,803 Times in 3,968 Posts

Default

I really enjoyed this....I ve never shot a flint lock always believed about the delayed bang...but now I know better your gun is truly a work of art..it s hard to believe that man could produce such works of art and beauty....thanks.....charlie
charlie cleveland is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to charlie cleveland For Your Post:
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:49 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2024, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.