Wilson Trade Gun
Wilson of London · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1750
Also known as: Northwest Trade Gun, Northwest Gun, Indian Trade Gun, Wilson Fusil
Overview
The Wilson Trade Gun is a light smoothbore flintlock musket built by the Wilson family of London gunmakers, one of the most sought-after patterns of the Northwest Trade Gun supplied to the North American fur trade. Chambered around a roughly .60 caliber (20 gauge) smoothbore barrel that could load a round ball or shot, it was shorter, lighter, and handier than a military musket of the era, making it ideal for hunting and travel. It is instantly recognized by its cast brass serpent (dragon) sideplate, oversized 'mitten-friendly' trigger guard, and octagon-to-round barrel marked with the maker's tombstone-and-fox trade proofs prized by Native buyers.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2900 g (102.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1473 mm (57.99") |
| Barrel Length | 1067 mm (42.01") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Effective Range | 55 m (60 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Browned Steel |
Calibers
- .60 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as 0.60 in, 20 gauge ball, 24 bore, 15.2 mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Muzzle Loaded, Octagon To Round Barrel, Serpent Sideplate, Oversized Trigger Guard, Brass Furniture, Ramrod
Service history
Operators
- Hudson's Bay Company
- North West Company
- Native American tribes of the fur trade
Conflicts
- War of 1812 (1812-1815)
- American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Production
Production years: c. 1750-1860
Hand-built by the Wilson gunmaking family and copied by later British and American makers; no centralized production totals survive.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Richard Wilson
Discontinued: 1860
Notes
Richard Wilson helped establish the prototypical Northwest Trade Gun pattern, and later Wilsons including William Wilson supplied the Board of Ordnance, the East India Company, and the Hudson's Bay Company. Bore sizes generally ran from 16 to 28 gauge with about 24 gauge (~.58-.60 caliber) predominant, and barrels ranged from roughly 30 to 48 inches; the ~42 inch, ~58 inch overall figures here are representative. By the end of the War of 1812 the pattern was so dominant that American makers copied it because native buyers would accept no other model.
Background
The serpent sideplate became a mark of authenticity so trusted in the fur trade that native buyers judged a gun's quality by it, and rival makers were forced to reproduce the Wilson pattern faithfully because tribes would refuse guns that lacked the familiar brass dragon and oversized trigger bow.