AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: dweber49 on August 02, 2023, 12:15:54 AM

Title: PA Longrifle M*H or H*W Marked on Barrel Henry Wetzel
Post by: dweber49 on August 02, 2023, 12:15:54 AM

I’m seeking opinions on the maker of this longrifle.  It has a Tryon Philadelphia lock.  The barrel reads MH from the cheek side, but could easily be HW from the patchbox side.  I can find no match for MH, HW could be Henry Wetzell of Union County, a barrel maker who worked with his brother Jonathon in Somerset Township.  Any thoughts on this piece are welcome.


(https://i.ibb.co/KDD7r6J/IMG-1944.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jzzGrhS)

(https://i.ibb.co/znd1S5P/IMG-1950.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WxCQc3B)

(https://i.ibb.co/XDCLxFN/IMG-2186.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3vCdmSG)

(https://i.ibb.co/RbfPLLq/IMG-2187.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bmTLppk)

(https://i.ibb.co/Hr3SNch/IMG-2188.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NLbv10T)

(https://i.ibb.co/Z8YZWgH/IMG-2189.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WyPTgzD)

(https://i.ibb.co/7RJ10kB/IMG-2190.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KLjr8KB)

(https://i.ibb.co/C7bn2SW/IMG-2191.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gTSDVc6)

(https://i.ibb.co/0hZ8Mjc/IMG-2192.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MMpWVDs)

(https://i.ibb.co/3TmK6LG/IMG-2193.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0ny54d8)

Title: Re: PA Longrifle M*H or H*W Marked on Barrel
Post by: dweber49 on August 03, 2023, 11:05:22 PM

A terrific ALR member PM’d to me with photos of a nearly identical rifle marked H*W,  for Henry Wetzel.  He worked in Somerset Township in Union County.  His brother, Jonathan worked nearby and signed his rifles J*W or J Wetzel.  He is reported to have bought his barrels from Henry.

Does anyone know if the knife, powder horn, and tomahawk on the cheekplate has any particular meaning?