Research Queries

The MLAGB regrets that it cannot enter into correspondence regarding the identification/valuation of firearms via this web site. Members seeking information are referred to the Associations newsletter, Black Powder, where such queries can be published. Contact the newsletter editor. In addition questions can also be posted on the MLAGB Discussion Forum.

• Lock mechanism: eg. matchlock, flintlock, percussion
• Barrel(s): length, bore diameter, rifled or smooth-bore
• Engraving: details of any engraving or markings on the barrel and lock
• Any other relevant information: eg. details of sights, bayonet fittings

Internet Sources
The following web sites/message boards are relevant to aspects of muzzle loading shooting and collecting:

MLAGB discussion forum: exchange information with muzzle loaders world wide
AntiqueGuns.com: see the pre-1898 firearms and the shotgun forums
British Militaria: forums mostly covering military arms but not exclusively
Civil War Guns: for the American Civil War fans
Long Range Muzzle Loader: resource, email list and forums on 19th century target rifles
Research Press: useful reference site with discussion forum

Perusal of a few basic reference books may be enough to answer your queries. Suggestions for further reading are include below. Don't forget your local public library. If they don't hold the publication you are looking for, then they can usually obtain it through inter-library loans.

The Collector's Library

Collecting is not just about accumulating guns and accessories. A true collector wants to know what it is that he has. Where does it fit into the wider history of arms development? Who made it and when? What sort of person may have owned and used it? How well did it perform? This information makes a gun more interesting and meaningful.

Early collectors were very much on their own as few reliable books existed. We are luckier now. Today there are several thousand books in print on firearms and related topics. Then there are many museums, libraries and research units to which the collector can turn for help. Finding out how to access and use all this knowledge takes time but a good start can be made by building your own library.

Most collectors eventually specialise in a particular field. Before you get to this point it can be advantageous to ensure that your library contains these volumes which will enable you to identify most of the basic types and most commonly encountered firearms. The basic library should contain the following volumes:

Gun Collecting - G.Boothroyd
Antique Firearms - F.Wilkinson
The Book of the Gun - H.Peterson
The Collecting of Guns - J.Serven
The NRA Gun Collectors Guide

Some general works which would help in the initial quests are:

Encyclopedia of Firearms - H.Peterson
A Glossary of the Construction and
Decoration and use of Arms and Armour - G.C.Stone
Firearms Past and Present - J.Lugs

Texts which are more specific but essential reading include:

English Pistols and Revolvers - J.N.George
English Guns and Rifles - J.N.George
Guns and Rifles of the World - H.L.Blackmore
The Gun and its Development - T.Lenk
The Flintlock - T.Lenk
Early Percussion Firearms - L.Winant
The Handgun - G.Boothroyd
The Revolver 1818-1865 - Tylerson, Frith & Andrews
Adams Revolvers - W.Chamberlain & A.Tylerson
A History of the Colt Revolver - C.Haven & F.A.Beldon
Colonel Colt, London - J.G.Rosa
British Military Longarms 1725-1815 - D.W.Bailey
British Military Longarms 1815-1865 - D.W.Bailey
British Military Firearms - H.L.Blackmore
The British Soldier's Firearm - C.H.Roads
The Mantons - W.Keith Neal & D.Black

Even more specialised but worth having to broaden your knowledge:

Civil War Guns - W.Edwards
The Pennsylvania-Kentucky Rifle - H.J.Kauffman
The Muzzle Loading Cap Lock Rifle - N.H.Roberts
The Rifled Musket - C.E.Fuller
The Target Rifle in Australia 1860-1900 - J.E.Corcoran
Firearms Curiosa - L.Winant
The Powder Flask Book - R.Riling

It is always handy to have a few directories of gunmakers, and three of the most useful are:

English Gunmakers - D.W.Bailey & D.A.Nie
Directory of British Gunmakers - G.Boothroyd
A Dictionary of London Gunmakers - H.L.Blackmore