Egads! Heheh, I've seen a couple of those Japanese pieces gathering dust here and there. One rendezvous-er that owns a shop in the next county was trying to sell one, right beside all his fancy inlaid/scrimshawed powder horns
When he saw me eyeing it I think he said something to the effect of "it probably shoots..." I stay well enough away though.
Doing some more interweb searching I'm fairly sure its from a Traditions "Pirate Flintlock" kit, as seen here
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/pr...roducts_id=140 There's a gunsmithing school nearby so I assume one of the boys got a kit and completed it for one of his courses. However, I don't know who Traditions is importing this from (could be Spain? anyone know?) and I'm still a little put off by the missing front sight. I don't think someone would "rob" an integral piece from a weapon that was otherwise in good working order, and then hawk it.
I'd love to take it apart and get some photos, but we'll see what the fidgety little fella behind the counter will let me do
