MUKAHLA for Comment

[rickystl]

Hi Stu.

That is a very nice Mukahla. And a really long barrel on this one. WOW!!
Curious there is no provision for a ramrod. Especially with this barrel length.
This style of fish tail stock has the typical thin wrist area and thumb grove. but the slight drop in the butt stock versus straight I believe places the gun in a nearby area of Morocco, but the name escapes me at the moment. But I'll look through my reference material and locate it. I really like the decorated leather wrist wrap around the butt stock. Really adds the "tribal" look to the gun. The extra use of berrel bands/wrap I believe was not only to hold the barrel to the stock, but to act as reinforcement for the extra thin forearm of the stock. Which makes sense. The snaphaunce lock on this one is done in the Dutch pattern. Which I find the most common on this style from the Region. Whereas the majority of other styles seemed to favor the English pattern lock.

A very nice Kabyle gun. Congratulations.

Rick

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hi Stu.

That is a very nice Mukahla. And a really long barrel on this one. WOW!!
Curious there is no provision for a ramrod. Especially with this barrel length.
This style of fish tail stock has the typical thin wrist area and thumb grove. but the slight drop in the butt stock versus straight I believe places the gun in a nearby area of Morocco, but the name escapes me at the moment. But I'll look through my reference material and locate it. I really like the decorated leather wrist wrap around the butt stock. Really adds the "tribal" look to the gun. The extra use of berrel bands/wrap I believe was not only to hold the barrel to the stock, but to act as reinforcement for the extra thin forearm of the stock. Which makes sense. The snaphaunce lock on this one is done in the Dutch pattern. Which I find the most common on this style from the Region. Whereas the majority of other styles seemed to favor the English pattern lock.

A very nice Kabyle gun. Congratulations.

Rick

Thanks Rick for your comments. If this gun had not already been in NZ there is no way that I could have had it shipped here due to the length. Even shipping WITHIN the country would have been a bit of a problem, hence my long road journey to pick it up.
Anyway I digress.......as far as I can establish this style of Mukahla originates from the Taroudant Region, Sous Valley (ref Elgood)
Stu

[rickystl]

Hi Stu.

Yes, I totally agree with the origin. And the gun has all the hallmarks of this Region. There is some small information I have somewhere, with a brief mention of the butt stock with the slight drop versus straight. It's not in either Elgood or Tirri's reference. I just need to have my memory jog to remember where I read it in my reference material. But I'll find it and report back.

By the way, you are lucky to find one with the lock in working order. Great !!
Usually the sear is worn down and will not engage in the hammer. If you get a chance, post a pic of the inside of the lock.

Rick

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hi Stu.

Yes, I totally agree with the origin. And the gun has all the hallmarks of this Region. There is some small information I have somewhere, with a brief mention of the butt stock with the slight drop versus straight. It's not in either Elgood or Tirri's reference. I just need to have my memory jog to remember where I read it in my reference material. But I'll find it and report back.

By the way, you are lucky to find one with the lock in working order. Great !!
Usually the sear is worn down and will not engage in the hammer. If you get a chance, post a pic of the inside of the lock.

Rick

Hi Rick,
I will post pics of the inside of the lock when I get a chance. I have not had it off, but can say that the cock holds at full cock, but seems not to have a half cock position. If it is supposed to have a half cock, then it is probably worn, but shall see when I get it apart.
Stu

[kahnjar1]

OK here are some pics. I do not think that it had a half cock position.
Stu

[rickystl]

Hi Stu.

The lock looks complete. The snaphaunce lock does not have a so called half-cock position. The style of lock dates to the mid-late 16th to early 17th Centuries. After the hammer is placed in full cock position, the pan is primed and the pan cover is manually closed. The frizzen is left in the forward position (away from the pan as a saftey feature) until ready to fire where it's pulled back and positioned over the pan. When the trigger is pulled, the forward travel of the hammer will also move the pan cover forward exposing the priming powder. Yes, it actually does work. Thanks for the additional photos.

Rick