I too have an untouched, original-flint, full-stock, iron-mounted, classic NE Tenn. Longrifle which has a poured pewter nose cap with three diagonal (chevron type) bars and a saw-tooth bottom edge. This rifle is signed "J.*Turpen" and is very strongly attributed to James Turpin of Anderson and Roane counties as the name was spelled both ways in various documents. He was (until recently) a previously unknown Tenn. maker. He was born in 1807 in Tenn. so could certainly have been making rifles by the mid 1830's. He married a Cherokee woman by the name of Jerusha. His father Martin was born in VA in 1783 and relocated to Tenn. circa 1800-1804 and married Mary Elizabeth (mother of James) in 1805. By 1850 & 1860 James was listing his occupation as that of a Blacksmith as was his son in the same household. The rifle has a 47" swamped barrel of .50 caliber and is stocked in walnut. As might be expected, the tang extends down and then up and over onto the comb extending another six inches. Of somewhat special interest is that it not only has a lollypop for a screw at the base of the wrist but also a second lollypop for a screw on top of the comb which I've not seen before but perhaps some of you all have. I have pretty good photos of this rifle but I'm not sure how to post them. I would be happy to e-mail them to one of you and you could pick the ones you would like to post. Hopefully I can be a little more active on this site in the future, Arnie
Photos added 6/24/17
(https://preview.ibb.co/ngpDNk/Turpen_01.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kGxdoQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/fPHdoQ/Turpen_02.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hp9DNk)
(https://preview.ibb.co/ekjPTQ/Turpen_03.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jmfyoQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/djn02k/Turpen_04.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gSYwa5)
(https://preview.ibb.co/e2iwa5/Turpen_05.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fZJUv5)
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(https://preview.ibb.co/cNBhF5/Turpen_06.jpg) (https://ibb.co/idXB8Q)
(https://preview.ibb.co/fpYJoQ/Turpen_07.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d1Xpv5)
(https://preview.ibb.co/cPiJoQ/Turpen_08.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dQS02k)
(https://preview.ibb.co/fEKPTQ/Turpen_09.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jiePTQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/ktsNF5/Turpen_10.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dS4DNk)
(https://preview.ibb.co/k95ba5/Turpen_12.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hgkba5)
(https://preview.ibb.co/irxYNk/Turpen_13.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mgijTQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/kvBGa5/Turpen_14.jpg) (https://ibb.co/droJoQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/jQ6hF5/Turpen_15.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cxZr8Q)
(https://preview.ibb.co/k6zPTQ/Turpen_16.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gz5ba5)
(https://preview.ibb.co/crOUv5/Turpen_17.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hOBtNk)
(https://preview.ibb.co/e2nYNk/Turpen_18.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ikYUv5)
(https://preview.ibb.co/cOtq2k/Turpen_19.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bM98oQ)
(https://preview.ibb.co/dY6ooQ/Turpen_20.jpg) (https://ibb.co/de53Nk)