✅ SOLVED Maple tap? Ramrod Guide?

[Noah_D]

I don't think I've posted this thing yet but the first thing I thought when I dug it was that it was a tap... now I'm wondering if it might be some kind of old ramrod guide? Does anybody recognize this thing? I found it at a place among other coins and relics from 1820s to 1900s.

It is completely hollow, I'm sorry for the bad pictures but if you would like a pic from a certain angle or something just let me know.

 

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[RTR]

Your 1st guess was correct https://www.etsy.com/listing/809757...Wzu6kF64m1W_aLrb6_DUyeOswm3ZytGMaAhAOEALw_wcB

 

[pepperj]

I'm not all that sure if it is a spile for tapping.
Reason being it looks like it's of a non-ferrous material (brass/copper)
The square loop not seen that before on a spile.
Old metal spiles were cast iron/cast aluminum/rolled tin
Looked at images on Google-nothing that resembles the piece shown. Dug many up in my sugar bush-just again what material that I gave.
antique spiles

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Frankly I'm leaning more towards a pipe for a wooden rammer on a smoothbore musket. That hole in the tab would be for the pin that held it on the stock channel. Also would explain why it's not centered front to back (they're drilled and pinned after the piece is inset in the stock).

 

[Noah_D]

I'm not all that sure if it is a spile for tapping.
Reason being it looks like it's of a non-ferrous material (brass/copper)
The square loop not seen that before on a spile.
Old metal spiles were cast iron/cast aluminum/rolled tin
Looked at images on Google-nothing that resembles the piece shown. Dug many up in my sugar bush-just again what material that I gave.
antique spiles

Thanks pepperj, I've seen a number of taps before but none of them were like this. This is the kind of thing I saw that made me think it could be a ramrod guide or something: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/original-india-pattern-brown-bess-492140781

 

[Noah_D]

Frankly I'm leaning more towards a pipe for a wooden rammer on a smoothbore musket. That hole in the tab would be for the pin that held it on the stock channel. Also would explain why it's not centered front to back (they're drilled and pinned after the piece is inset in the stock).

Thanks Charlie. I don't know anything about guns but are there any clues as to what kind of musket it would have come off of or how old it is?

 

[releventchair]

I'll vote for thimble.
It's decorative , vs most spiles I've seen.
The hole drilled (if for pinning on a gunstock) is way out to one side. Understandable when drilling through a stock "fishing" hopefully for the lug...But why have that much stock on a spile to drill way out on one end, nearest the tree in this case. Yes a hole can hold a hook to hold a bail. For what was involved in drilling back then , I'd just hang the bail on the lug towards the tree.
Yes , the hole could have been cast in a spile. Complicating the mold process and requiring clean up after. Adding to cost when a sugar bush could see pipe sections used with a notch filed to hold a bail cheaper instead. Or more traditional carved wooden spouts if we get too far back in time.

Not saying it is/was , but if the broken/missing end continued to flare and flatten on the bottom (opposite holed lug) it could have been the thimble nearest the rear of gunstock.

 

[smokeythecat]

I think it went on an old musket. I have found similar ones once upon a time ago on 18th century sites.

 

[Older The Better]

I think it’s the very back one where the ramrod seats into the stock like the top one in this picture that’s why it flares out on the one end

 

[Noah_D]

Thank you all! Marking as solved.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Thanks Charlie. I don't know anything about guns but are there any clues as to what kind of musket it would have come off of or how old it is?

I don't think it is military - and the civilian market was one-off custom so it's difficult to say. There were also parts available "in bulk" so the gunsmith could use similar bits on many different firearms. Bit I would put in 1700ish to 1800ish.

 

[Noah_D]

I don't think it is military - and the civilian market was one-off custom so it's difficult to say. There were also parts available "in bulk" so the gunsmith could use similar bits on many different firearms. Bit I would put in 1700ish to 1800ish.

Makes sense, thanks for the info!