Sporting Gun UK – May 2019

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USED GUNS

Antiques

didnotallowforindiscriminate fi ring at a
journey ’send.
Anothergroupofweaponsthatare
commonlyfoundwithbrassbarrelsare
pistols.Everythingfromsmallpocketand
muffpistolstolargeholsterpistolsare
foundwithnotonlybrassbarrelsbutalso
withbrassactionsaswell.Withthesmaller
piecesthiswasoftenusedasmuchfor
itsdecorativequalitiesaswellasforits
corrosionresistance,butthelargerpistols
thatoccurwereoftendestinedfornaval
service.Seacaptainslovedbigshowybrass
pistolsliketheFrenchdouble-barrelled
pistolshownhere(left).Andbeinga
malleableeasilyworkedandcastmetal,
brassiscommonlyfoundformingthe
furniturepartsonallsortsofweaponsfro
trigger-guardstobutt-capsandsideplate
Youwillnotethattheaforementionedpi
also has brass lockplates.

Brassisararethingona

sportinggunasitisnot

as durable as steel

Sportinggunsareanexceptionwhenit
comestotheuseofbrass.Exceptforthe
furniture, it is rarely found on such guns.

Heavymetal
Withoutwishingtostatetheobvious,
brassisnotasstrongassteelorlaminated
iron,sototaketherequiredpressurehas
tobethickerandheavier.Now,thisisnot
a problemonblunderbussesorpistols,
butbalanceandagilityarerequirements
ofa sportinggun,soexamplessuchas
thefowlingpieceshownhere(right)are
fewandfarbetween.Again,oneimagines
thattheoriginalcustomerhascorrosion
resistanceinmindwhenheorderedthis
flintlockcirca1770.Whetherthisgunwas
destinedforuseontheforeshore or on
boarda shipisunclear.
Buttakeheed,a warningforthoseof
youwholiketouseyourmuzzle-loaders:
antiquebrasshaslotsofimpuritiesandhas
a nastyhabitofturningbrittlewithage,
sometimeswithdisastrousconsequences.
Thisbeingso,itismuchbetter(andsafer)
toresorttothedecorativequality of brass
rather than its practical use.

“Seacaptains

lovedbig

showy brass

pistols”