Japanese matchlock 54" silver inlay any help appriciated!

[zugzwang]

Hello all,

 

lurked though many of the posts here. I recently acquired a matchlock that was converted to a percussion lock rifle. There were no pins holding in the barrel, and to my displeasure the bottom of the barrel was covered in a bad rust. I removed the rust residue from the wood, washed the barrel off with soap and water, and lightly oiled it.  I plan on hopefully getting it more operational, without destroying the history.

[zugzwang]

When the sunlight is better today, I will take much better images of everything, let me know what other areas I should photograph, thanks!

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi David,

 

Apologies for the delay. Tanegashima threads do not come up in my 'new posts' for some reason, and the email notification is usually a couple of days late.

 

At first I thought your new gun was not Japanese, but now I can see that it is. The only part of the Mei that you have photographed is the barrel construction, i.e. 二重巻張, Ni-ju makibari, or double helix bound barrel. There should be more writing on the lowermost facet of the barrel base.

Can you get shots of the bisen breech screw, or even the head of it? 

 

As to pins missing, no problem; the simplest thing is to make some with bamboo or wood. You can try toothpicks and skewers for size, and file them to fit perfectly, inserting from the right side of the stock. Once you get the hang of making and playing with these, you can try to source smoked bamboo, even better for the job.

 

Having said that, your gun has been through various changes and modifications, so it is possible that the mekigi holes and under-barrel loops do not match up, and that may be why it has been fitted with brass retaining rings.(?)

 

PS Some people like to see fancy inlay on Japanese barrels, but personally speaking they do not interest me as they are usually  (but not always) added later as extra decoration for sale purposes.

 

Looking forward to closer shots from various angles! 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Additional thought. This is a very plain, basic long-barrel smoothbore gun, so without a Mei, there is little else to indicate gunnery school or place of manufacture. 

 

Helpful remaining pointers might be the fact of four mekugi holes, (one, two or three are more common in my experience), the broad brass lock band, the shapes of the lockplate and sights, the water droplet trigger, and any metalwork inlay on the stock, etc.

[zugzwang]

 

Bugyotsuji,

 

Here is the best picture of the other writing I could take. I wonder if there is a way to get under the rust and find the writing, as for the bisen I shall take a picture of that and a few of the other writings and stamps. There looks to be a mon? that was inlaid and partially removed made of silver aswell.

thanks!

 

David.

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks David. That rust looks thick and heavy.
Where is/was the Mon?

[zugzwang]

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This is the MON, a ton of small dots inside a circle?

[zugzwang]

The silver disc on the bottom 

[Bugyotsuji]

Ah, many thanks. It looks like an old barrel has been updated for the percussion fitment.

The Mon looks to have lost too much of the original inlay to be deciphered.
The silver disc says 寶 Hō (Takara), meaning treasure.