Author Topic: Hand me down (Read 9610 times)

Mullengunbarn · « **on:** July 25, 2017, 05:58:33 AM »

This is my first post on American long rifles, my grandpa gave me a rifle on Saturday when I stoped by to visit him. It has been in our family since 1934 when my great great grandfather got it as a gift from his son who bought it at an auction in Missouri from a meriwether estate auction for two dollars. My grandpa has used it to shoot squirrels here in iowa. I believe that it shoots a .389 ball and has about a 42" barrel. The lock says ketland and that's about all I can see. Also appears to have a grease hole in the stock, very plain stock with no hardware other than the trigger guard and rod guides. Let me know what y'all think. I couldn't find a .389 ball mold so I ordered a .390 will have to wait and see if that will work. I will post some better pics in the daylight. Hope I'm posting in the right place.

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Matthew1969 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2017, 06:20:22 AM »

Neat! More pics!

wattlebuster · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2017, 11:33:10 AM »

I like it

mountainman70 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2017, 04:00:23 PM »

Man,what a sweet lil shootin iron !!!! Looks like a good candidate to build a new one off the pattern !! Gotta see the rest of it. Welcome to the forum. Moderators might move this to antiques,but it looks good here,and thanks a heap for sharing.
Man,y'all,what a first post !!Sho' nuff sum stuffs. Dave

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2017, 04:17:50 PM »

... Wow...still a few old guns coming out of the closet ...!!! .... very nice southern hog rifle... Ketland lock was originally flint..!! ...appears to be black walnut stock ... beautiful forged iron triggerguard ..post more pix, please...barrel tang, bottom view of trigger guard, area where ramrod goes into stock, muzzle end, cheek-piece, etc., any markings near rear sight on barrel ..?? or around end of muzzle .?? .... Thanx for posting...!!!

Mullengunbarn · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2017, 04:37:39 PM »

Well I got some more pics of it in the natural light this morning.

n stephenson · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2017, 04:45:05 PM »

Mullengunbarn, First welcome aboard!! second, man that is one COOL!!! little rifle ! You are fortunate to have such a neat little piece . Thanks for sharing !! Nate

rich pierce · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2017, 04:47:55 PM »

Nothing short of fabulous!

mountainman70 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2017, 05:02:53 PM »

Dang if hit aint a Proper Mountain gun!!! Thanks for the extra pictures,I repeat my original post,and then some. I have a cherry smr project of similar lines,just might finish out close to this'n. Best regards, Dave

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2017, 06:38:37 PM »

That is one super rifle! I'd say probably a NC gun with that architecture and double line moldings. Possibly a deep River gun.

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2017, 06:46:10 PM »

... Thanx for extra pix .... agree with Mike ... incised lines on butt & forestock scream N C .....old style, and with the converted lock was most likely an original flint gun .... great forged T/G .. !!! .... (if I didn't know better, I might think was an early Hershel House gun...his early rifles were no butt plate & incised line decoration) ... !!!... C'mon Wayne Elliott, Old Traveller, Dennis Glazener & Arnie Dowd.... Opinions please ... !!!

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2017, 06:55:49 PM »

That is a fine So. Mtn Gun! A real prize. and I agree that it looks to have been an original flintlock. Oh the stories that gun could tell!!
Welcome and congratulations!!

PPatch · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2017, 07:21:36 PM »

Welcome to ALR and thank you for bringing this. A fabulous example of a Southern Mountain Rifle. It has it all, and looks in such good condition and comes complete with a provenance. it does not get any better.

Take good care of it, pass it on in the family some day.

dave

somehippy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2017, 07:32:33 PM »

Looks like a dandy gem of a lil gun, I love when guns turn that color.

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2017, 07:35:40 PM »

Welcome to the ALR an with a fine rifle taboot!
Be real proud of this one!
Just to be different I would add eastern Tennessee. Check the old Fox fire five for some comparison s.
NC is a good call too! Anyway you look at it. Mighty fine...Oldtravler

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2017, 08:04:20 PM »

Man do I love that one piece triggerguard. The narrowed front of the bow, with the nicely spread bottom of the bow, and the fully developed spur, along with the fine filed up finials, tells me this isn't the first gun this old boy made. That's a lot of work on a triggerguard that's going on a gun with no buttplate. Tennessee, or North Carolina, would be my guess as to where it was built. I did see a similar gun that came from Mississippi, but the smith was originally from Western South Carolina, so it doesn't really count.

Hungry Horse

hanshi · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2017, 08:40:40 PM »

Welcome to the forum, Mullengunbarn. I agree that wonderful rifle was most likely originally flint. A beautiful example of an old SMR. Very well made; is there a maker's name on any of the barrel flats; sometimes they will appear on the underside flat. How does the lock work, the trigger? What kind of shape is the bore in? Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of history.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2017, 09:05:03 PM »

Looks like the upper forestock is a restoration. The double line stops in about 8" and there seems to be a vertical splice. Neither here nor there, just an observation.

acorn20 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2017, 09:15:30 PM »

Welcome to ALR. Neat looking rifle. Congrats!

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2017, 10:27:14 PM »

Really a nice looking SMR and could be from NC. I once owned a signed "D.S." rifle that I think may have been David Sheets that lived in NC and possibly later on in Ohio but the rifle came from a local family that lived near Greensboro NC. The rifle I owned had a very similiar stock profile and the cheekrest was also very similiar except the cheek rest was shorter than on this one.
Dennis

Mullengunbarn · « **Reply #20 on:** July 25, 2017, 10:57:17 PM »

The forearm was repaired by my Granpa in 1964, also he said he "freshed" out the barrel with a dowel rod dipped in epoxy and then rolled it in some abrasive material, then he put it on a slow drill with some valve grinding compound until it was good enough. lands look good and I ran a patch down it and didn't feel any rough spots. There is no marks on the barrel other than the hammer marks from beating it around the mandrel when it was made. At least I assume that's what the marks would be from. Him and a friend of his that built muzzleloaders from spirit lake always went opener squirrel with there longrifles and gramps said it's right on the money.

Cades Cove Fiddler · « **Reply #21 on:** July 25, 2017, 11:01:06 PM »

... By gorsh, Mike... you still got 'um good eyes ... !!... I missed that until I enlarged photo ... !!! ... I do think was originally flint .... anyone else..?? .. Dennis ...what think ye ..??

ghost · « **Reply #22 on:** July 25, 2017, 11:01:33 PM »

Great looking rifle! More pictures would be welcome!!!

heelerau · « **Reply #23 on:** July 26, 2017, 01:39:25 AM »

Lovely to see a family heirloom stay in the family, be real interested in seeing how it shoots !

Avlrc · « **Reply #24 on:** July 26, 2017, 02:12:17 AM »

A Classic.

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Author Topic: Hand me down (Read 9610 times)

Mullengunbarn

Mullengunbarn

n stephenson

somehippy

Mullengunbarn

ghost