AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: oakridge on December 07, 2013, 10:17:55 AM
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Can anyone tell me where a patchbox like this may have been used? And, what era? Rifle has no markings on the barrel. Thanks.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1184.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz340%2Foakridge60%2FNewOrleansRifle.jpg&hash=7acdb5c5145bc8c462347dd5c7fdde68e72040ac) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/oakridge60/media/NewOrleansRifle.jpg.html)
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Hi Oakridge, there is an identical patchbox with a barrel signature in Chandler's Red Patchbox Book on page 361. The rifle is by J. Sites F. Va and is a flintlock in 36 caliber with a 41" rifled oct. barrel stocked in walnut and owned at the time by Joe Kindig Jr. I do not know what town the "F" refers to in Virginia but can only say that the patchbox on the book rifle is an exact duplicate of yours. Hope this is some help to you........Joel
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Is that a steel buttplate? Would sure like to see more of it.
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J. Sites is VA, from (F) Fincastle , VA, early 1800s before he moved to Missouri.
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No offense intended, but it appears that this patchbox is reused from another gun. Note that the engraving on the top finial is almost gone, and the placement of the keeper on the lid is too close to the buttplate. Also, it would be very unusual to mix a brass patchbox with a steel buttplate. Still an interesting gun though.
Frank
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Frank, no offense taken. It's not my gun, but I found it interesting and wanted some thoughts on it. Maybe it was made with parts on hand. The flint lock is marked with a New Orleans dealers name. No markings on the barrel.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1184.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz340%2Foakridge60%2FNewOrleansRifle3.jpg&hash=86b10f207488f2b57a5299d7ffcf5aa365325b0c) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/oakridge60/media/NewOrleansRifle3.jpg.html)
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The straight high rising comb looks "N. Carolina"?
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The second Levi Shreckengost rifle in the library has a steel buttplate and brass patchbox combo. I also saw
what I thought was a Moll rifle with that combination at Baltimore last year. I have been wondering if the
steel buttplates were thought to prevent breakage of the toe? Or why would you go to the trouble on a gun
where the rest was brass mounted? Would it not be more difficult work to create a steel buttplate?
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Interesting to see that other guns were made like that, with steel buttplate and the rest in brass. I have no clue as to why, but I agree it would seem to be more difficult to do. I'm trying to get more and better photos of this gun.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1184.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz340%2Foakridge60%2FNewOrleansRifle5.jpg&hash=cff1cb8d66c0b259dd9e9ec8fabcc2dbb3d4b7a5) (http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/oakridge60/media/NewOrleansRifle5.jpg.html)
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Very unusual looking cheek piece.
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Not beyond the realm of possibility that this is a Mississippi River Valley made rifle with a lock fron New Orleans and a patchbox from a VA maker who removed to Missouri. Wonder what other parts, perhaps the iron buttplate, the spur on the trigger guard, the markedly different architecture to add to the list that might support that possibility? A very interesting piece and we thank you for posting it here. Always nice to see some unique guns. Hope that you will keep us informed as new facts come to light.
Dick