Frontier Arithmetic: The Afghan Jezail

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hi Jim,
These guns are so - too - many on the market and as you said most of them are decorative.
Then even in the original and functionnal ones, you have some of them made with good and old original pieces English and Persian, then the others locally made but functionnal.
I have some serious doubt about your lock... Of course Rick will tell you everything about your gun.

Thank you Kubur, Stu and Richard! I really appreciate this input as I know you guys are well seasoned in the collecting and study of these.

I have had doubts about the lock as well, but in comparing it to some of the examples known authentic it is remarkably well done if indeed a copy. As far as I have known the Afghan copies have never been that faithfully copied, only rendered interpretations. All of the screw positions etc. seem to line up, and the 'work' in adding this lock appears to use similar technique and even hardware to other Afghan components. While the profiled outlining on the perimeters of the lock seem slightly crude in joins, it seems most Afghan examples dont even bother with this detail.
These are just my estimations based on research to get up to speed as I cannot claim any great experience or knowledge on these.

Thank you for the historic and geographic insights as well Stu, and important to note how in flux these boundaries have been.

Stu,thank you for the great examples you posted! Those are beauties, and these guns are incredibly attractive. I take it the Sind examples have a long slender neck (or wrist?) on the stock.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Hi Jim, Another great subject very nicely placed so people can add their take on the subject.. Looking purely at the weapons I made a few observations noting a number of different locks from far and wide. This gun seems to have a few different names including camel gun and the Jezail or Jezzail seems dominant ...although there also seem to be different types some with the very hooked butt and others more straight... I have a few pictures here ~

[Jim McDougall]

Ibrahiim I'm so glad you came in on this!! and great photo images, thank you.
As one of few people I know who have actually been in Kabul and seen 'Chicken Street', I value your insights here.

As you note, these jezails (et al) I have hoped to focus here with the diverse experience and knowledge over many years here, and put together as much comprehensive material as possible to better identify them.

I am trying to gather as much as I can on the locks, which seem to be one of the key components in these, and determine the variations of EIC markings and names etc. From these, it would be good to compare spuriously produced Afghan examples.

Thank you for the input!!!