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The Range
Firearms Chat
Where/who can I take guns to for history research and/or appraisal in OKC area?
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<blockquote data-quote="Ahall" data-source="post: 4335779" data-attributes="member: 49426"><p>2024 - 50 = 1974</p><p>Thats roughly the bicentennial. </p><p>Around that time there was a renewed interest in flint lock and percussion arms.</p><p>A lot of inexpensive imports replica and antique firearms came into a country hungry 200-year-old guns.</p><p></p><p>Some were high quality, and some were absolute garbage. </p><p>Others were purely decorative and never were intended to function or fire.</p><p></p><p>The other issue is in that era information on loading and shooting these things was a lot harder to come by. Attitudes about safe storage were different as well.</p><p></p><p>Step 1 is to ascertain that they are not charged. That means verifying nothing in the bore all the way to the touch hole at the lock. Just insert a small rod and mark the length where it bottoms out relative to the muzzle and compare to the length from the muzzle to the touch hole. Note that I said small rod. Many large bore muzzle loaders have reduced diameter powder chambers, so use something pencil diameter. </p><p></p><p>If it's the same, great.</p><p>If not, why not. </p><p></p><p>Examine the vent - if it's obviously a blind hole or dimple that never communicated with the barrel, then its display only, and you have a shallow bore to save manufacturing costs.</p><p></p><p>If it looks like the vent hole communicates with the bore and its charged you need to find out what is in the bore. Could be paper wads from a kid playing with it or a charge that's been in place for 50 years or more. Gunsmith time. </p><p></p><p>Remember safety first, then, history.</p><p></p><p>Assuming its all clear and not a display piece:</p><p></p><p>If it's a more modern replica intended to be fired you should find proof marks on the barrel, that will help bracket the age and country of origin. However the lack of text on the barrels indicates they are old or decorative. The fine line engraving on the lock is typical of a functional lock rather than a cheap zinc casting.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ahall, post: 4335779, member: 49426"] 2024 - 50 = 1974 Thats roughly the bicentennial. Around that time there was a renewed interest in flint lock and percussion arms. A lot of inexpensive imports replica and antique firearms came into a country hungry 200-year-old guns. Some were high quality, and some were absolute garbage. Others were purely decorative and never were intended to function or fire. The other issue is in that era information on loading and shooting these things was a lot harder to come by. Attitudes about safe storage were different as well. Step 1 is to ascertain that they are not charged. That means verifying nothing in the bore all the way to the touch hole at the lock. Just insert a small rod and mark the length where it bottoms out relative to the muzzle and compare to the length from the muzzle to the touch hole. Note that I said small rod. Many large bore muzzle loaders have reduced diameter powder chambers, so use something pencil diameter. If it's the same, great. If not, why not. Examine the vent - if it's obviously a blind hole or dimple that never communicated with the barrel, then its display only, and you have a shallow bore to save manufacturing costs. If it looks like the vent hole communicates with the bore and its charged you need to find out what is in the bore. Could be paper wads from a kid playing with it or a charge that's been in place for 50 years or more. Gunsmith time. Remember safety first, then, history. Assuming its all clear and not a display piece: If it's a more modern replica intended to be fired you should find proof marks on the barrel, that will help bracket the age and country of origin. However the lack of text on the barrels indicates they are old or decorative. The fine line engraving on the lock is typical of a functional lock rather than a cheap zinc casting. [/QUOTE]
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