[becko]

I found this old muzzleloader and was wondering if anyone has any idea of its origins? It has an axe head on one end...

[picrockpro]

I've never seen one of those in my life, I've copied your post and sent it to a friend who might have some info, however Im not very sanguine. Best bet is someone custom built it, hand carved the wood stock/handle down to a point where they could fit a hawk on the end, and trimmed the barrel down to pistol length. The designs in the hawk and the lock match, that puzzles me... but they had some real talented guys back then, you never know.

Not sure, just guessing... Im no expert.

[Rex in OTZ]

The photo of the hawk head upper right side the socket there appears to be some sort of milky white modern adhesive holding the head on.

The common method of hafting a hawk is a taperd shaft like a pick handle, that wasent possible in this instance, so whoever it was had to bodge it on the butt area of a old flinter smoothbore, the rather rough work done on the lock looked rather crude (file marks and the hack saw mark where they slotted a screw head to get it free) the lock may have been fitted at a later date? to fit the stock?
A composit of spare parts that had been put together is the most likely senario, when it was accomplished and by whom? I believe this wasent done by indians (file marks) and lack of ordimintation and no sinew, a apprentice of a gunsmith is out as well (way too crude the kid woulda been flogged), this was done by unskilled hands of someone with a very active imagination a old river pirate gun of the flat boat days? the lock has a familure look but at this time I cannot pegg it corectly I'll have to study my lock refrences.

[slammer]

It does look a bit crude for a Period firearm. French maybe or even a Indian preference.
For sure it is not a mainstream weapon but very interesting.

[hasbeen]

its a "decorator". Visually, you can tell that none of the parts have been hardened. ..frizzen, spring etc.

[hasbeen]

also...the hatchet appears to be cast.