Flintlock Coach Gun

[gizamo]

Flintlock Coach Gun....(added firing sequence!)

Picked up this Coach Gun. It is in Eleven bore. It was a custom made gun that was purchased by the former owner from Track of the Wolf...many moons ago. Very well made, fit and finish are exceptional...

And she's a hoot to shoot!




giz

 

[WALKERs210]

Not that I have a use for it but sure would like to see one of those hanging over my fireplace. Could tell the wife that would be the very last one I get

 

[gizamo]

Actually, it's a pretty interesting defensive gun. Just add 110grains of ffg, a overpowder card, one shot wad....spice it up with about 50 pieces of buckshot, add a overshot card....and let the games begin....


giz

 

[BHP FAN]

I had a similar one years ago.80 grains of two F, 10 ga. fiber wads,and ten or twelve .36 cal pistol balls worked great in it.

 

[Loosenock]

Thats cool. I've always liked blunderbusses and coach guns.

'Loose

 

[ArmedBear]

What projectiles did they load in those things, back when they were "state of the art"?

 

[Cosmoline]

Very nice! That's how the founding fathers said "step off"

BTW, is that the one off GB? I was eyeballing that one pretty hard.

 

[Mp7]

myth has it that screws, pebbles and stuff were used.

I be anyone who could get lead, would use it,
as to not damage the barrel ...

 

[Stophel]

That looks real nice. Know the maker?

 

[revolvergeek]

That is very nice! Thanks for sharing. I would love to have something like that to go blast away with

 

[MachIVshooter]

myth has it that screws, pebbles and stuff were used

I've also heard broken glass, nails and pretty much anything else that would fit in the bore and had at least some potential as a projectile.

 

[Stophel]

That's just what it is too...myth. Doing so would immediately ruin the barrel, though yes, in an extreme emergency situation, virtually anything could be dropped down the barrel. Please don't do that with this gun!

Usually a charge of several large balls.

 

[gizamo]

Thanks all,

To answer some of the questions...This is a coach gun and not a blunderbuss. Two very different animals. You would load one with a shot column...powder, card, wad cushion, shot, and overshot card. They hold a grouping as well as the powder amount and wad column are matched. Yes, given the shape of the barrel .... they could be reloaded fast without all the components of a wad column.

giz

 

[messerist]

Great looking gun! I can't help it but everytime I see a "blunderbuss type" gun my cartoon bubble has Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck arguing.."Rabbit season!" "Duck season!"

 

[Stophel]

The term "Blunderbuss" would apply to this gun. The muzzle opening is flared. That's the only criterion for calling a gun a blunderbuss.

 

[mykeal]

Actually, there are several criteria:

blun·der·buss (blndr-bs)
n.
1. A short musket of wide bore and flaring muzzle, formerly used to scatter shot at close range.
2. A person regarded as clumsy and stupid.
ref: The Free Online Dictionary

I respectfully assert that I qualify under at least one of those definitions.

 

[.45&TKD]

Is that authenticate? What is something like that worth?

 

[rcmodel]

Anyone watch Pawn Stars on TV last night?

They had a guy bring in a very fine & high grade double barrel flint-lock coach gun with a spring loaded spike bayonet on top of the barrels. It was almost unnoticeable until it became extended at the touch of a button between the hammers.

French made with English proof-marks, lavish engraving, and gold inlay.

They never did say what it was worth, but they traded a $4,000 Fender guitar even for it!

rc

 

[Mp7]

... from what i read the muzzleshape made for easier loading
while in a coach, horse, ship ....
wether the barrel is made for close range scatter or not
is not part of the definition.

Big bore, short, easy to load.
... and scaary looking.

i´d use those heavy airgun .22 sabots .... and a few .36 balls.

 

[Stophel]

It's for ease of loading while in a coach or horseback or onboard ship. It doesn't really spread shot...which probably spreads pretty well anyway, though that was the myth at the time. Some are even oval shaped to attempt to spread the shot horizontally. And, of course, there is a SERIOUS intimidation factor involved.

The number one use for blunderbusses was naval warfare. Short, handy, powerful, relatively easy to load, and perfect for close quarters naval combat. The second use was what the above gun was styled for: coach defense (or offense...). England was not a paradise at the time, and highwaymen ruled the roads. They carried them too.

They are not exactly well designed for hunting, and not very commonly seen among the average shooter in Colonial America who might have a more appropriate fowler or rifle.

 

[gizamo]

Getting started with a Blunderbuss....


It takes a brave soul to load 90-100 grains of black powder into a short tube, at a pile of .32 cal ball on top and let it roar.... so I had one of my friends do it...as I ran the camera....



Pouring in a measured charge of powder, in this case FFg at 90 grains. This was done on a cold barrel. First charge of the day. Never do this with a gun that has just been fired.




Adding the over-powder card...and seating it on top of the powder.




Next comes the cushion wad...it too is seated on top with the ramrod


Add the magic...a small charge of .32 lead ball for our test fire.



And finally the over-shot card to hold everything in place...at this final step we have built the shot column.



Priming the pan with a little ffffg...



And finally the results....a nice opening pattern at 5 yards....




Giz

 

[Sunray]

"...This is a coach gun and not a blunderbuss..." A blunderbuss is/was a coach gun.

 

[Oyeboten]

Wow...

Good find gizamo!


That's really really nice...and sends out a very respectable pattern too.