ebinmaine 67,508 #1 Posted July 19, 2021 Trina and I have been given the opportunity to be the owners/caretakers/stewards of a few hobby type handmade firearms. We do know that they are not super valuable but we'd like to give a fair amount for them. Age is unknown but I believe maybe 15 to 25 years. All of them were bought as kits from the Kittery Trading Post here in Maine. The firing ability of the three guns is unknown but I would have to assume that they work knowing the owner. The Cannon below does fire. We would appreciate whatever thoughts, questions, values, you can give us. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OldWorkHorse 3,045 #2 Posted July 19, 2021 Buy the cannon! Tow behind military tractor haha 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #3 Posted July 19, 2021 (edited) The cannon is by far the most interesting piece by far. Guessing in the 2 - 250 range if you were to buy that kit today. Some of those cannon kits can reach upwards of 2K tho. So be careful and research it abit more. The smoke pole & sticks are DIY replikits and maybe worth just a little less than what it would take to replace them at todays prices. Certainly nice wall deco tho. Edited July 19, 2021 by WHX24 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #4 Posted July 19, 2021 3 minutes ago, WHX24 said: Certainly nice wall deco That's about what we were thinking. I'd have no problem firing them off once in awhile if someone was to show us how to do it correctly. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,981 #5 Posted July 19, 2021 Can't help you with prices, but that cannon is a beauty. BTW. Over here you'd have to have a firearms licence for those guns and they'd have to be locked away. Wall decoration would be out unless de-activated. 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #6 Posted July 19, 2021 2 minutes ago, Stormin said: Can't help you with prices, but that cannon is a beauty. BTW. Over here you'd have to have a firearms licence for those guns and they'd have to be locked away. Wall decoration would be out unless de-activated. That's one of the good things about living in Maine. It's pretty free state when it comes to that kind of stuff. 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #7 Posted July 19, 2021 As far as firing once in a while, when you're done they need to be completely disassembled, washed with hot soapy water, dried, and reoiled. Black powder is very corrosive.... 4 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #9 Posted July 19, 2021 (edited) I neglected to to clean a front stuffer once and after only three days I had some nasties going on. I have no clue how they kept them in decent shape in the old days and the black powder we have nowadays is much better. Cleaner guns through better chemistry I guess. 4 hours ago, ebinmaine said: to show us how to do it correctly. Gotta be more than a few you tubes out ther or better yet network with a local rod & gun club. Check down the barrel might be signs of having been fired once or twice EB. Make sure you keep them oiled and wipe them down after every fondling. Any Idea what calibers? Guessing the long gun is .50??? 4 hours ago, Stormin said: they'd have to be locked away. Second amendment here Norm. Please do keep reminding us on how good we have it. Not a bad idea anyway to keep the youngun's mitts off them. Since I am an empty nester my not so valuable pieces go on the wall for eye candy. I should make glass front cases for them to keep the dust off tho. Edited July 19, 2021 by WHX24 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #10 Posted July 19, 2021 47 minutes ago, WHX24 said: calibers Honestly not sure. I don't think they're quite that big though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #11 Posted July 19, 2021 (edited) Gotta be stamped on the barrels..50 cal. is real close to a half inch. Or bust out your calipers and measure. Dueling pistols probaly around 30 cal.... ther ya go EB we got a new handle fer ya and the better half..... The Pistoleros ... or hey..... The Cannon Ballers...... Edited July 19, 2021 by WHX24 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #12 Posted July 19, 2021 17 minutes ago, WHX24 said: . The Cannon Ballers That could work.. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,178 #13 Posted July 20, 2021 I'll throw one more caution out there. Before loading any muzzle loader, MAKE SURE it isn't allready loaded. Way too many front stuffers get put away loaded. I always file two marks on my ram rods to measore the barrel length. One for loaded and one for unloaded. 5 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,577 #14 Posted July 20, 2021 5 hours ago, Stormin said: BTW. Over here you'd have to have a firearms licence for those guns and they'd have to be locked away. Wall decoration would be out unless de-activated. In the US a muzzle loading black powder gun is not technically considered a fire arm by the federal government. While it is illegal for a felon to own a fire arm in the US, a muzzle loading black powder gun can be owned by a felon in most states. 3 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,178 #15 Posted July 20, 2021 11 hours ago, Achto said: muzzle loading black powder gun can be owned by a felon in most states. Most of the felons that I know own high capacity automatics. 3 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
giddyap 1,569 #16 Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) On 7/20/2021 at 8:05 AM, Ed Kennell said: Most of the felons that I know own high capacity automatics. Eye candy and a couple hundred bucks of ammo gone in seconds Edited August 4, 2021 by giddyap addition 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #17 Posted August 5, 2021 Friends I've got another one for you... Same situation. Same person as the original post question, has this one. Age of this long gun and bayonet is unknown. Likely between 70 and 90 years. Capability of firing is unknown. Hasn't happened in several decades. Current owner claims there are no markings on the piece anywhere. I have not tried to zoom in using a bigger screen to see if I can find anything. As in my initial posting about the other pieces I'm looking for some sort of a rough value and or what questions to ask to get that figured out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #18 Posted August 5, 2021 Looks to be a mid to late 1800s fire stick. If it is its in good shape. Impossible to tell from those pics. Ther will be markings on it some where just gotta know wher to look. Is it possible to afix the bayonet? Your going to need to take it to pawn stars for appraisal.... he knows a guy... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #19 Posted August 5, 2021 23 minutes ago, WHX?? said: Is it possible to afix the bayonet? Not sure. Likely at least a month or two before I'll see it. Just trying to get a rough idea.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,815 #20 Posted August 5, 2021 1 hour ago, ebinmaine said: Just trying to get a rough idea.... You won't without someone in the know fondling it. Or alot of really good pics. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,178 #21 Posted August 5, 2021 No idea on value Eric, but the sling swivels indicate a repro to me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #22 Posted August 5, 2021 11 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said: No idea on value Eric, but the sling swivels indicate a repro to me. You're the 3rd to indicate that. I s'pose we'll just haveta get it here and paw it over. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,641 #23 Posted August 6, 2021 (edited) On 7/19/2021 at 2:19 PM, ebinmaine said: We would appreciate whatever thoughts, questions, values, you can give us. In Philadelphia it’s worth fifty bucks. Edited August 6, 2021 by EB-80/8inPA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darb1964 1,042 #24 Posted August 6, 2021 The bayonet maybe the most valuable piece. The only thing double edge is not legal in many states. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,641 #25 Posted August 6, 2021 All kidding aside, there’s an “18th Century Artisans show” near here in Lewisburg every February where all sorts of producers and collectors of such things gather to show and sell. Perhaps there’s a similar affair near you? Otherwise, there is a list of the vendors out there, one of whom may be able to help. Sorry, but other than Bo Diddley, that’s all I’ve got. Good luck! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites