Author Topic: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)  (Read 16709 times)

Al Lapp

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R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« on: October 18, 2010, 07:06:29 PM »
Seeing as how it's my birthday I picked up a rifle at our local gun show yesterday. The bbl. 1.25 in. across the flats by 36.25 inches in length. On the lock is R. Ashmore Warrented. It must weigh around 15 lbs. I was told by the fellow that I purchased it from that it was from the civil war period. It is percussion with a single set trigger. The bbl. has been relined and is approx. 55 or 56 cal. The sights are not original to the gun. On the breachplug is the name ? A. Hill. The firing mechanism does not function properly, but when removed seems to work alright. someone has done some stock repair and there is some plastic wood in the mortise  for the lock and I am suspect that this is the problem. Hopefully Will post some pictures at a later date.   Al
« Last Edit: October 24, 2010, 08:42:34 PM by Al Lapp »

jwh1947

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Re: A. Ashmore Warrented
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2010, 07:29:09 PM »
Interesting.  I can tell you that my Beyer has an Ashmore lock and it fits the mortise like a glove.  I can also tell you that this was one of the names reproduced on locks in the 1960's, so be careful.  The fakes look new, usually, unless one of the masters of whiplash got their hands on it and dirtied it up.  Wayne

Offline whitebear

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Re: A. Ashmore Warrented
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2010, 04:20:49 AM »
Please post pictures I am interested in Ashmore locks.
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Offline JV Puleo

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Re: A. Ashmore Warrented
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2010, 04:57:07 AM »
What a coincidence. I just looked the Ashmores up today for someone else. There are two listed in Bailey & Nie - George and George Jr. in Darlaston (ca. 1854) and Richard in Wednesbury (ca. 1827-1855). These are two of the three famous black country lock making towns. The Ashmores were major exporters or suppliers to exporters and I suspect that they entered the market as the Ketlands were leaving it...  I have no recollection of ever seeing an Ashmore lock on a completely British-made gun. Also, keep in mind that Bailey & Nie is based strictly on period directories so if a maker wasn't listed over a period of years, those dates do not appear. Thus, these are minimal dates... they could easily have a much wider time span. The fact that they were listed at all suggests that, like other aspects of the B'ham trade, they organized the production of gun locks - not that they actually made them themselves. From these dates it is clear that they were working well into the percussion period.

I am certain I have handled numerous NE guns, mostly flintlock militia muskets, with Ashmore locks. The locks tend to be of better than average quality. A date as early as 1827 is entirely consistent with this as percussion guns probably did not make a significant inroad into flintlocks for militia purposes until the 1830s. The gun I was asked about today was a NE flint musket.

My memory of the fake Ashmore locks is that they were much smaller than any of the original ones I have seen. I've owned several and seen many more and all were musket/fowler size. But... locks were made in standard sizes, usually referred to as "gun locks" and "pistol locks" (at least that is how they are described in shipping manifests) The "gun lock" is larger while the "pistol" size may also have been used on rifles. I am not knowledgeable enough about rifles to have a strong opinion on this but I have seen evidence of the importation of more "pistol" locks than I have seen evidence of pistols assembled from them.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2010, 05:18:09 AM by JV Puleo »

Al Lapp

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Re: A. Ashmore Warrented
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2010, 08:24:17 AM »
Thanks for all the great information. Will try to post pictures in the next couple of days. My Granddaughter helped me with my last pictures, hope I can figure out how she did it.    Al

Al Lapp

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Re: A. Ashmore Warrented
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2010, 08:38:11 PM »
Here are some pictures of the rifle. I believe that the lock was originally a flintlock as when fired the cock goes to far forward, sitting on the nipple the lock is past the half cock position. Also there are graduation marks on the rear of the bbl. possibly for the original sight.








Hope these are O.K. Haven't tride this before without help and I need all I can get.   Al
« Last Edit: November 14, 2020, 06:22:07 AM by Dennis Glazener »

Offline Majorjoel

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2010, 09:00:50 PM »
Hi Al, it sure looks like your rifle is stocked in curly ash. Mighty pretty. Thanks for the pictures.......Joel
Joel Hall

Al Lapp

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2010, 09:36:57 PM »
Joel;
 Thanks for the kind remarks, I weight the gun today, it's just shy of 17 lbs.  Al

Offline woodsrunner

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2010, 10:53:04 PM »
Don't think there is any question about the stock being anything but curley ash. 'Course I might change my mind if I had it in my hands with my 10X hand lens and pocketknife ;D

Offline WadePatton

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2013, 11:08:05 PM »
came looking to see an Ashmore lock, and did.

BUT what a treat to see such a piece of Curly Ash! 

nice.
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Offline smokinbuck

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2013, 11:39:51 PM »
Al,
Nice rifle, definitley built as a target rfile. That may be the reason for the relined barrel, it was thought that lined barrels often shot better than the original. I have a McCraner that was lined by Gene Weichold that shoots better than my unlined one. I also have an Ohio rifle by M.J. Hough that has a N. Ashmore back action lock. I think mine is later than yours based on being back action.
Mark
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Online Shreckmeister

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2013, 12:28:26 AM »
I like the horn nosecap.  Means it was made for showin off at the Sunday shoots.
A. Hill is not in my reference book as a maker.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2013, 12:29:34 AM by Shreckmeister »
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Offline Buck

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Re: R. Ashmore Warrented(now with pics)
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2013, 01:44:27 AM »
Albert V. Hill, Limestone New York listed in dirctory 1859-1874? He had several patents for breechloading arms. Beautiful piece of wood. Thanks for posting.
Buck
« Last Edit: January 17, 2013, 01:46:39 AM by Buck »