AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 08:29:00 PM

Title: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 08:29:00 PM: I came across this Phillip Bettis rifle over the last few weeks. c1850-1870. Bettis was a blacksmith and gunmaker from Georgia via South Carolina. Appx. .38 cal. More pics and info to come.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25857.0 (http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25857.0)

(https://i.ibb.co/8zCx2c7/A25-FF3-D0-6843-4911-9-CE2-7-B4-FFA74430-E.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FsrYJVD)
(https://i.ibb.co/XfHvHsq/06-FC7-F5-B-7-DBF-4-A2-E-81-C0-7-F8-EC96-EB534.jpg) (https://ibb.co/twRWRs9)
(https://i.ibb.co/bbdBqy3/C82972-A3-3-EA8-4-EA0-83-B6-6-A07331-EEB40.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QDmNzqc)
(https://i.ibb.co/f9QWbVT/9445-BC09-5-CF7-4776-9-BF0-ECD38-F913801.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pQnTg6k)
(https://i.ibb.co/LSYhTgK/20-DA061-F-3-A36-4428-9-E20-6328-F6-D98-BEF.jpg) (https://ibb.co/v1VvNd9)
(https://i.ibb.co/0yDz0Vk/EDE2-E252-C550-40-DB-BC62-AB6-B730-C1899.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7tY03NH)
(https://i.ibb.co/DCt2M3N/CA2293-F5-D194-447-F-B05-A-CF2-C6-E8-F3-A54.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vPHnd2b)
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 08:31:28 PM: (https://i.ibb.co/dg4fpbg/7341-FB01-C667-4-B0-E-AF60-A72-A710-E14-EA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/16G0Xs6)
(https://i.ibb.co/cLWsBLv/A19458-A1-628-E-484-F-BF34-04-BDF98877-A3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4db0qdf)
(https://i.ibb.co/s2gP5jV/9-DFFEE25-4850-4-B1-A-8-C48-42-B556-DDBC83.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Msgh8nC)
(https://i.ibb.co/hVXyCF8/8-F50173-A-A741-4-C09-81-C8-B09768-D3-C7-EA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZxHVNzT)
(https://i.ibb.co/zx1wKb4/DA994713-9-CD3-4315-8524-21-B76898-F069.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZX3CyKM)
(https://i.ibb.co/qNB9jGn/C908-B594-6-F35-48-E4-8-E1-C-44-F9-EC63-D5-A5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8rM2s3B)
(https://i.ibb.co/tMNgNBk/F619-AE85-CB7-A-4-E47-8977-6999-FAE701-C1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bgyTy1q)
(https://i.ibb.co/jJb0DM2/E8637-E32-908-E-4-DF9-9-C77-1700-E51-AB93-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hYLQVWj)
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 08:33:05 PM: All furniture, screws, trigger, lock, hand forged, less the lock plate it appears. Fully functional. Decent rifling. Wood solid. Brass plates around the lock are known Bettis touches.
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Robert Wolfe on August 04, 2019, 09:02:05 PM: Interesting mainspring!
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 10:10:17 PM: Quote from: Robert Wolfe on August 04, 2019, 09:02:05 PM
Interesting mainspring!

I thought so too. Super simple and quick to forge. Very strong. Southern ingenuity.
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Hungry Horse on August 04, 2019, 11:03:40 PM: Looks like it might be a restock.

Hungry Horse
Title: Re: Another Bettis Rifle Surfaces
Post by: Bob McBride on August 04, 2019, 11:16:42 PM: I thought so too at first but the barrel channel, lock mortise, and inside the patch box show dried and blackened grease that appears period. My guess is that if it is a restock it is pre 1900. I doubt it. Behind the brass plates at the lock panel is corrosion and wear consistent with an original. It may at worst be a refinish but I see no signs of a significant sand job. I think it was just well taken care of and not overused prior to being replaced by a cartridge gun. I’ll get pics up tomorrow.