American citizens and gun owners since 1619

[cheapshot]

In my families history is a story about an indian attack on the settlement where my ancesters lived. During the attack, my great, great, great, great (etc.) grandfather was killed outside his home by indians, while his wife and a neighbor defended the home with a seven and a half foot long musket, killing nine indians. The gun now belongs to the Virginia Historical Society.

I ordered a photo of the rifle/musket and am looking at it now. The note that came with the photo says it was manufactured by a company called Collicot. Has anyone ever heard of the Collicot company?

The rifle is very long and appears to have a frizzen, but it doesn't seem to have a hammer. It occurs to me that the flintlock wasn't even invented in the 1640's (when the attack occured), yet it does look like a flintlock minus the hammer. The picture is actually a photo of a 1930's black and white photo, and is somewhat grainy, and you can't quite make out what type of action it has.

Would anyone be able to clue me in on what type of muskets/rifles were used by the settlers back then?

Here's the story:
http://www.linkline.com/personal/xymox/roh/woodson.htm

 

[Doc Hudson]

Two possibilities are matchlock and wheellock.

If the musket has a sort of fishbelly appearance at the breed end of the barrel, it is most likely wheel lock. Otherwise, the "frizzen" might actually be the serpentine which held the lighted match and pivoted to ignite the priming. many matchlocks were set up so that the serpentine moved backward, toward the shooter, and was powered by a spring.

A peep at the photo might help.

Doc Hudson

 

[cheapshot]

Thanks Doc,

If I get a chance tonight when I get home, I'll try to scan it and email it to the photo section, but I have to tell ya, me and my scanner don't get along very well. The last time I used it, I thought about using it for a backstop.