East Tennessee Flintlock

[gibster]

It's been a little slow here on the forum so I thought that I would post a few pictures of a Flintlock that I bought at the show over in Norris Tennessee back in April.  I have known about the rifle for about a year or so and the owner met me at the show and I was able to buy it.  The owner's wife had bought it from Robin Hale in the 1970's as a present for him. While at the show, Dr. Wayne Butler came through and recognized the rifle and told me that he had sold the rifle to Robin in 1976.  Dr. Butler had bought it from Turner Kirkland but had no idea where Turner had picked it up.  Dr. Butler recognized the rifle from the positioning of the lock.
The barrel of the rifle is unmarked and is 48-inches long.  It appears to be the original length. It measures .98-inches at the breech, .896 about 14-inches from the muzzle, and .98-inches at the muzzle.  For bore measures .39 caliber. The tang is about 9 1/2-inches long and extends over the comb as seen in the pictures. The lock is signed R Ashmore & Son and appears to be in its original configuration and original to the rifle.  The positioning of the lock is confusing with the "tilt" towards the wrist.  I haven't seen this on other rifles and neither had several of the collectors at the show. Your thoughts would be appreciated.  David Byrd looked at the rifle and seemed to think that it may have been made by one of the Beals, and it does resemble the one pictured in his book, Gunmakers of Buffalo Valley and Greasy Cove in Unicoi County, Tennessee, by John S. Beals. Jerry Nobel seemed to agree that it could very well be a product of the Beal family.
Here are some pictures of the rifle. Would like to know your thoughts as to the positioning of the lock and who the maker may have been.

[Buck]

Gibster,
Nice rifle, I like the trigger guard. I had a rifle made by James G Wallace with the same Guard. I had 3 of them, 2 by Wallace and 1 by Pheosalous Bell, they were the best balanced rifles I have ever shouldered.   
Buck

[Dennis Glazener]

Gipster,
Great photos and I have either seen photos of that rifle elsewhere or one very much like it. It was a mystery to me then and it still is. Couldn't help but wonder if the builder designed it to fit someone with some type of handicap. It is too well built to be a building error. Neat gun.
Dennis
 

[gibster]

Couldn't help but wonder if the builder designed it to fit someone with some type of handicap. It is too well built to be a building error.

Dennis, I think that you looked at it at the show and if I remember right, we discussed that very thing.  I guess that there is really know way to know for sure. I agree that it is a well built rifle and I doubt that it was a building error.

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis, I think that you looked at it at the show and if I remember right, we discussed that very thing.  I guess that there is really know way to know for sure. I agree that it is a well built rifle and I doubt that it was a building error.

Well duh, guess that's where I remember it from. Guess I am still reeling from missing out on that nice NC rifle that you and I were so taken with
Dennis

[PPatch]

Gibster when that first photograph popped up I said outloud "Beal!" There are a lot of features that still said Beal as I looked at the other pictures, the overall architecture, lock panels, triggers, trigger guard and lock washer. That patchbox is a dead ringer for one on a Beal rifle I have photographs of. Your rifle just has the "feel" of a Beal gun.

Nice Tennessee rifle whomever made it. I can live with that lock tilted back. Thanks for showing it, I believe it would be a nice addition to our library.

dave

[EC121]

It appears that the lock plate may have been a bit longer than the builder could fit into the normal position.  To avoid the "dreaded" ( )  humpbacked wrist and allow the wrist to flow properly he tilted the lock.

[mountainman70]

To avoid the "dreaded" ( Wink)  humpbacked wrist and allow the wrist to flow properly he tilted the lock.

this makes sense to me,too.It may well be the builder had this lock on hand,and made it work.I could live with it this way,as opposed to the Hump it would require level.Lovely gun,in any light.Thanks for showing.Dave F

[Dan'l 1946]

  That is a wonderful old rifle. Well used and well kept. Amazing how thin the wood is in way of the ram rod.
                                   Dan

[timM]

Gibster,

Thanks for the posting, made my day.  tim

[Shreckmeister]

That's a great rifle there.  Can you share the name on the lock?  Doesn't the lock look earlier than the rifle?  Great patina and condition.  Thanks for bringing that one into the light.

[EC121]

The lines of the rifle are really nice.  I like the entry pipe treatment with the metal tang and also the long slender wrist.  What is the LOP of the rifle?  It looks long but that could just be the proportions.    

[trentOH]

My suspicion is that the rifle was built for a tall man with a long neck and/or long face (think Sec'y of State John Kerry) who would need a lot more drop in the stock than somebody short like me.  Canting the lock would be provide some of that extra height.

[realtorone]

Super rifle. I don't remember seeing it when we talked at Norris.I picked up a short,heavy T Winn u just may be interested in send me a PM and I'll tell u all about it.

George

[gibster]

Thanks for the input on the rifle.  I hadn't thought about the lock being to large and the builder tilted it a little to avoid the hump.  Makes sense though. The lock plate measures 5 1/8-inches long. That could be the answer.

Shreckmeister - the lock is signed R Ashmore & Son. I have no idea if it is older than the rifle or not.  Could be a re-used lock from another rifle or one that he had on the shelf do awhile.

EC121 - the LOP is 13 3/16-inches.

[EC121]

At 13 3/16 it sure looks longer than that.  Sign of a well designed stock.  Things have to be proportioned properly to get that "larger than reality" look.

[WElliott]

Nice rifle, Gibster! I guess I should make it a point to spend more time walking around the Tennessee show.     Congratulations on a good fine.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

It has several features similar to one of my Wm Beals rifles.  It is a very attractive rifle.  I like everything about it, including the positioning of the lock.

Thanks for sharing it.

Bill

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I am thinking trentOH is on the money. The drop is really significant and the wrist is really straight into a sharp angle at the breech...... given that angle...no way to keep the tail of the lock up.