Swivel Blunderbuss
1.67" at muzzle, nominally 1" bore, 21.25" round barrel with baluster turned rings at canon muzzle transition, no S/N. Bronze barrel, bright lock, brass furniture, walnut stock, weighs about 18 pounds. 6.5" unmarked, flat beveled lock with flat beveled, reinforced cock. Removable semi-faceted bridled iron pan with fence, frizzen spring with bulbous finial. Lock marked internally WK and with sub-assembly marks mating the pan to the bridle. Lock assembly marked to the gun. No external marks or proofs. Simple brass furniture, including a flat S-shaped sideplate, triggerguard with rudimentary finial, buttplate with simple tang, retained by three screws and a single ramrod thimble with no entry pipe. Button head iron rod appears old and is of appropriate length, but may be a shortened rod from another swivel gun or wall piece. Includes an iron mounting collar with pivoting pin to mount the gun. Collar, pin, bolt and nut are all handmade and show good age and appear be original to the piece. Some speculation exists that the "WK" mark is that William Kerlin. This exact gun is pictured as the lower gun in the pair of identical swivel guns on page 135 of Rankin's Small Arms of the Sea Services. A solid example of an almost certainly American-made swivel gun, as there are no proofs indicting British or Continental production, from the first quarter of the 19th century.
Condition:
Very good. Barrel with an uncleaned patina. Lock is original flint, cleaned to silvery gray. Mechanically functional, good bore showing dirt and oxidation. Stock with numerous bumps, dings and nicks, as well as some splintering, cracks and repairs in the forend. Old nailed repairs in apron around breech plug tang. Front lock mounting screw an old replacement.
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