FIREARM

Cast copper alloy fitting from a firearm (longarm) probably a rifle or musket of probable post medieval or modern date (1650-1850). The fitting is from the underside of the gun barrel and would have held the ram-rod in place. It is irregular in plan and profile and is formed from a cast hollow cylinder. At one end of this cylinder is an integral cast length of metal with a shallow D shaped cross section. This length of metal tapers along its length and has been bent to form a U shaped hook. There is a large stress fracture along the edge of this hook where it meets with the cylinder. This may suggest that the hook was originally at 90º to the axis of the cylinder. The other terminal of the cylinder is broken and abraded and all the detail has been lost. On the lower edge of the cylinder are two cast integral loops (one of which has been broken). It seems likely that these loops were originally cast as a small flange which has later been drilled to form the loop. Evidence of this is in a single U shape groove that extends from the loop into the lower face of the cylinder on either side. The fitting measures 59.6mm in length, the cylinder has a external diameter of 10.6mm and an internal diameter of 8.7mm: The thickness of the metal in the cylinder is 1.3mm. The maximum width of the hooked terminal is 8.8mm and is 2.5mm: The minimum width of the hook is 1.7mm and is 2.1mm thick. The length of the two loops at the base of the cylinder is 6.3mm, width 3mm with an internal diameter to the loop of 2.2mm. The fitting weighs 12.14 grams, however the cylinder is full of earth and so this distorts the true weight.

The cylinder has been decorated with a series of cast designs. The clearest of these is at the junction with the integral hook. Here a moulded flared terminal is present; behind this flare is a rib that extends around the circumference of the cylinder. A similar rib is present at the other, broken, terminal. The external face of the cylinder also seems to be faceted along its length; creating an irregular hexagonal sectioned cylinder. The edges of these facets have been very badly abraded to make them almost round. There is no evidence of incised decoration present. The fitting is a light-mid green colour with a partial but abraded patina which covers all surfaces. As already mentioned the fitting has been rolled in the ploughsoil which has caused the loss of decoration, stress fracture at the junction between the cylinder and the hook and the damage to the broken terminal.

The fitting has been dated by several parallels to the late post medieval / early modern period (1650-1850). It is one of the ramrod pipes from a musket or rifle that are mounted beneath the barrel to carry the ramrod. Thanks are extended to Chris Marshall for identifying this artefact on the PAS Forum.