Product Details
A VERY RARE 5-BORE (.950) FLINTLOCK RAMPART-GUN FOR THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, no visible serial number,
circa 1835, with 54in. London proofed barrel, large applied crescentic boat-shaped fore-sight, moulded band at breech, solid squared top-tang, oversized flat borderline engraved lock marked with the East India Company rampant lion trademark (rubbed), ring-necked cock, massive hand-rail walnut full-stock, heavy brass furniture, twin side-nails with flat moulded sideplate, rolled ends to the ramrod pipes, iron stirrup mount bolted through the fore-end and heavy iron ramrod stamped 'HARVEY', weight approximately 35lb.
Provenance: This massive rampart or wall-gun is basically a scaled-up Windus pattern musket and is complete with its original swivel mount. Guns like this were designed to be fired from a wall or fortification and sometimes also from a light field carriage as a small artillery piece. They were quite popular with E.I.C. forces and were issued in limited numbers from 1700 through to the 1850's up to the introduction of the rifle. With a range of over 400 yards, it was found that they could out-range not just the muskets of the day but also early rifles such as the Baker and Brunswick. Most were used on the frontiers and areas where conflict was likely to flare up. Some were even sold to the Ordnance at the time of the Napoleonic wars. From 1780, the design changed little, but a percussion variation was introduced in 1840. Records indicate that these flintlock rampart guns were still considered fit for service in the 1850's although old and out-dated. The conquest of Pegu in the second Burma War of 1852, these newly conquered territories were held by troops in stockades. It was felt that there was a role for these large bore weapons in both the defence of stockaded posts, and even to cover offensive and reconnaissance patrols outside the stockades. A quantity of these old flintlock wall guns was shipped out from Madras to Burma. The introduction of the rifle resulted in all these old wall pieces being declared obsolete and most were subsequently scrapped.
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Estimate £3,500-5,000