Hampshire Co., (West) , Virginia, now, that is great!That will fit in well with your Sheetz guns. They only inlays That raise an eyebrow for me are the hunter's stars all over the place. They sure look like those you can by from modern commercial ML gun parts suppliers. I just don't recall them being used in that manner in Hampshire Co......maybe/probably I'm wrong, I don't know. Could be somebody fancied it up a bit in the last 50 or 60 years to get a few more bucks for it, who knows....
A wonderful addition to my Sheetz and Shane rifles.
Unfortunately I lack the experience, otherwise I should have come up with that conclusion myself....
Dennis, thank you for the link, I already visited that site before, guess I will have to again.
As for the old/new part theory: Is I said, I lack the experience, but the feeling is that the parts belonged together
from the start.
As other says fancied up a bit. A lot of Hampshire County parts, but some later additions, such as , carving , star, fish. That capbox is very common on Hampshire County percussions rifles, not needed on a flint. I don't recognize the signature, either an unknow maker to Hampshire County collectors or a replaced barrel. Here is a list of the makers in HC that we know. Thanks for sharing. ( would like to see a better pic of sig)I would agree with everything that Avlrc has mentioned. Spot on!
https://hampshirecountylongrifles.blogspot.com/search?q=hampshire+county+gunsmith+list
Is it possible that the signature is J W R? See photo second from bottom in this blog.
https://hampshirecountylongrifles.blogspot.com/search?q=rinehart
Hi Chris and others,
Please look at the rear ramrod thimble and then go to https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/824/4/RP-TC-O
dave
Is it possible that the signature is J W R? See photo second from bottom in this blog.
https://hampshirecountylongrifles.blogspot.com/search?q=rinehart
The signature ist pretty illegible, I was not able to take a pic by what you could identify it better....
Cannot see it exactly myself, but it is quite possible that it is J*W*R*.
Since the rifle is fancied up , do you think maybe it was not reconverted but converted to flintlock and has originally
been made with a caplock, too?
Well, I guess I might be a little naïve, but the only things that bother me on this gun are the hunter's stars and the conversion to flint. I believe the rest is legit as it all goes with Huntington guns I have seen.
If the auction house did not mention the restoration I woul certainly write ghem a letter regarding my feelings of their business!
Dennis
From Cowan's 01 May 2019 sale Lot #8:
40 caliber, 38.25" wedge retained octagonal barrel, no S/N. Browned finish, brass furniture, full-length hardwood stock. Barrel signed LWP in script, otherwise unmarked. Reconverted flint lock with fenced water proof pan, roller frizzen and added flat, beveled swan neck cock. Roman-nosed stock with awkward, paddle-like profile set with four-piece acorn finial patchbox in obverse and smaller oval patchbox in reverse, under cheek rest. Buttplate with separate toe plate, triggerguard with extended finger rest, double set-triggers, thick two-screw side plate. Decorated with a German silver six-pointed star on the cheek rest and a pair of brass fish on either side of the forend between the lock and rear sight. Forend spliced at entry pipe and replaced to muzzle. includes a wooden ramrod.
Seems like a reasonable overview and description, especially with the photos provided in the online catalog; the spliced forend is noted as well.
Bruce
So now that you know what's what, hang it on the wall and enjoy it!
John