AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Bill Weedman on June 17, 2024, 08:41:06 PM

Title: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bill Weedman on June 17, 2024, 08:41:06 PM
This is an interesting old smoothbore made up from parts:

French 1728 barrel with US surcharge
Harper’s Ferry 1803 trigger guard
US Model 1816 Type III percussion conversion lock with hammer that was forge modified to fit
One iron and one brass ramrod pipe.

I think that this was probably made post Civil War when the South was extremely poor and had to make do any way they could.

(https://i.ibb.co/C9SwH7h/IMG-2223.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DMj1RC5)

(https://i.ibb.co/CPbS2Xp/IMG-2224.jpg) (https://ibb.co/phfkys6)

(https://i.ibb.co/8zg35Nr/IMG-2225.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3fmXN4p)

(https://i.ibb.co/nfTZjdr/IMG-2226.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ctPMQfJ)
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bill Weedman on June 17, 2024, 08:41:47 PM

(https://i.ibb.co/WvcB70V/IMG-2227.jpg) (https://ibb.co/604DG8X)

(https://i.ibb.co/GHPSY4q/IMG-2228.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sW3YxdZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/2jkBbw1/IMG-2229.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8j7VhJL)

(https://i.ibb.co/smVvKKJ/IMG-2230.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BzCVyyK)

(https://i.ibb.co/j8SRfy2/IMG-2231.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dfRgMPq)
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Avlrc on June 18, 2024, 12:21:00 AM
 Neat piece. It Seems I've seen it someplace before.  The buttstock profile does not look southern to me. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bill Weedman on June 18, 2024, 02:08:00 PM
Where would you suggest it was made. I had someone who I feel is very knowledgeable suggest that the way they made the rear ramrod entry is Southern Appalachian.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Avlrc on June 18, 2024, 04:08:07 PM
 At first glance, the long wrist, extending into the buttstock, and the comb sort of remind me of a Brown Bess style or Northeastern gun.  That is not what I would expect from the South.  The rest of it looks Southern.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bill Weedman on June 18, 2024, 04:56:06 PM
I agree the buttstock looks reminiscent of a Bess and the whole gun is very well done. It was not the builders first time. It feels and handles very well.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Eric Kettenburg on June 19, 2024, 03:06:04 PM
That is really great!  Very nice stock shaping too.  I don't see anything 'southern' about it, in fact don't see anything at all that points to any specific origin.  It quite literally could have been made anywhere someone had some useful parts and needed a functional gun.  I also think it definitely pre-dates the Civil War.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Dennis Glazener on June 19, 2024, 09:38:12 PM
Quote from: Eric Kettenburg on June 19, 2024, 03:06:04 PM
That is really great!  Very nice stock shaping too.  I don't see anything 'southern' about it, in fact don't see anything at all that points to any specific origin.  It quite literally could have been made anywhere someone had some useful parts and needed a functional gun.  I also think it definitely pre-dates the Civil War.

I agree that there is nothing southern about that gun that I can see.
Dennis
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bill Weedman on June 19, 2024, 11:01:10 PM
Well I guess I should just call it a poor boy.
Title: Re: “Southern Appalachian poor boy”
Post by: Bob Gerard on June 20, 2024, 08:02:19 PM
The stock also appears to be Curly Maple, which might also point to a Northern origin?