Don’t think it’s pistol - doesn’t seem to be enough curvature - although it would explain the lack of sling attachment. Most of the Bess guards I’ve seen have been relatively ornate for such a functional item.
Snider Carbine must be close…?
Yes I did notice the curvature and your quite right but I thought the front tang was too long for a Snider? I thought and thought about the curvature and decided it could have been bent hence the break in it.
Also agree about the Brown Bess guards.
I do think we are both close though - I would bet on it.
Now you mention it, the gap does seem very open - possibly caught/levered which then broke it at the screw hole. If I was trying to remove it without a screwdriver, I’d drift out the pin and gorilla the rest off, likely ending up with what we see here. All speculation though it is fun trying to puzzle this one out.
Why would you want to remove the guard and have an open trigger though?
I see your 10c and raise you a manky 1947 penny…
…rushes off to check catalogue value of said manky 1947 penny! My wife has a friend named Penny - I would bet heavily if she was the prize!
I love the speculation and trying to work out exactly what it is from…Maybe Marine corporal Seamus Jones of the H.M.S.Hazard got trapped on the foreshore by Hones Hekes henchmen and his rifle bust when he did some head bashing with it.
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Dont recall seeing any marks on it. I dont have the piece on me but here is another side veiw.
What i can see is that the guard has a low curve as in not very rounded.
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Gee this makes me want to get out more!
My final ( I think ) say on the trigger guard - the tang on the right goes to the front and has probably been bent due to force. The upright post is to secure it to the rifle or gun and will have a hole which might be filled with the rusty remains of the securing pin.
The rifle has had its stock smashed downwards breaking the tang on the left side of the photo and the force has also opened the trigger guard to give it the look of the trigger guard of a double barrel shotgun - which it is not.
It is not actually a Snider due to the slightly too long tang on the front or right hand side but is probably a Military musket or could still be a hand gun of which the guard has become deformed - the left hand tang could have taken a sharp bend to conform with the shape of the handle but that part of the tang is missing.
I think it is well worth monstering about with the detector inthe close proximity of where it was found to see what else turns up - that includes digging iron signals which could be lock, stock but only one smoking barrel!
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