This Fusil Fin has its origins in the fur trade of the early 1700's. Stocked in maple, and trimmed in brass, this fusil features a .54 caliber octagon-to-round barrel with a bright well maintained bore. The big flint lock is marked A.TVLLE. Weighing in at 8.5 pounds the fusil has a trigger reach of 13-5/8" making it well suited for today's average size shooter.

The .54 caliber octagon-to-round barrel is 42" in length. The octagon barrel transitions to sixteen flats before transitioning to round with two wedding bands. The bore is rifled with six deep round bottom grooves with a slow twist for a tightly patched round ball. The bore is bright, clean, and ready to shoot. The barrel is finished to a dark brown. A tall steel blade fusil front sight is soldered behind the muzzle. A flat top rear sight is dovetailed 8" ahead of the breech.

The sweeping architecture of the French fusil buttstock is quite comfortable to shoot, despite the unusual appearance. The wide flat buttplate is an advantage, since it reduces the recoil you will feel when firing full loads. The brass buttplate is correctly mounted with steel screws. The baluster wrist forms a smooth arc, and the butt blends into the wrist, typical of French architecture for muskets and fusils in this period before our French & Indian War, from 1756 to 1763, called the Seven Years War in Europe. French traders had great influence over Canada and the vast Louisiana territory, during this era. The straight tang is surrounded with raised carving, and the lock panels are framed with a raised panel with beaver tail finials.

The brass triggerguard is mounted with and combination of screws and pin. The width of the early buttplate is shown, revealing how the baluster wrist tapers from the lock panels, widest at the buttplate. The ramrod passes through brass pipes with ringed ends and a brass entry pipe with long pointed skirt. The wooden ramrod is fitted with a brass tip that is threaded 10-32 for your loading and cleaning accessories. This fusil is fitted with a classic French brass sideplate. Two lock bolts pass through the sideplate and stock to engage the lock opposite. See Colonial Frontier Guns, by T. M. Hamilton, sold separately, for nice photos of fine original French trade guns.

The French fusil flint lock is best quality, finished to match the barrel, the plate is marked A.TVLLE. The lock has a strong mainspring and is tuned for fast ignition. Trigger release is smooth, due to the high leverage, and excellent trigger geometry. A stainless steel vent liner is installed in the side flat of the barrel. The vent is well positioned both horizontally and vertically on the pan. If your flint longrifle suffers from that infamous slow whoosh-bang ignition delay, study the work of today's best gun makers, and position your vent well centered on the pan, high above the bottom, to serve as a window on the center of the flash.

If you are looking to add a French style rifle gun to your collection, then consider this piece. This Fusil will be perfect for your next reenactment and will be a joy to shoot at the range. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.