Rare Jenks Percussion Blunderbuss
Approximately .70 caliber bore, widening to a 1.25" muzzle, with a 15" round brass barrel with very thick walls, approaching 1/4" in thickness. Mule ear percussion lock marked in three lines, behind the hammer: REMINGTON'S / HERKIMER / N.Y. No other external markings are present. Walnut stock pinned to barrel, mounted with brass trigger guard and ram rod pipes and an iron butt plate. Overall length is 30.5".
The lock appears to be left over from the contract for 1,000 Jenks Naval carbines manufactured by Remington during 1847-1848 with Maynard Tape primer mechanisms incorporated into the lock. This lock has no primer system, and Flayderman notes that three examples of the Jenks Naval carbine are known with the same markings as found on this lock, and also without the tape primer feature. He postulates that these may have been very early guns, fabricated prior to all of the machinery, etc. for the contract being transferred to Remington by Ames. The presence of other guns with this same style of lock, void the primer mechanism suggests Remington may have assembled this otherwise unmarked blunderbuss as a sample possibly in hopes of selling similar arms to the navy. The trigger guard appears to be from a Jenks carbine as well, absent only the staple and sling ring. An interesting gun worthy of additional research.
Provenance: Offered in Norm Flayderman & Co Catalog #116 (1992), Item #1481, sketched in Boarders Away II on page 119, Item #42
Condition:
About very good overall. Brass barrel with an uncleaned mustard patina, and a dirty bore. Lock is mechanically functional. Iron butt plate with oxidized patina. Stock crisp and sound with sharp edges and only lightly scattered dings and mars from handling and use.
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