.36 Cal Half-Stock Percussion Rifle- Help Needed!!

[varmintsunlimited]

I recently inherited this .36 caliber half-stock percussion rifle- I can trace it to my grandfather but no one in the family can tell me where he got it- looks to be much older than his time. I have attached pictures. The only identifying marks on the rifle are located on the lock itself. As you can see in the photo's the words stamped into the lock are:

"G.W. LEONARD & SON" - "MADISON" - "INDY"

Can you tell me anything about this rifle- where it was made, by whom, how old it may be? Does it have any value. I appreciate any insight you may be able to offer- as no one has been able to help to date?

Thanks

Also- having trouble posting pic's - can someone run me thru how to!

[SCLoyalist]

Apparently the only experience more commonly shared than dryballing is having trouble posting pictures.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10.0   should explain it.

[varmintsunlimited]

Great- will get it done- appreciate the help!!

[varmintsunlimited]

[Tanselman]

Your rifle is an original midwest gun, based on its architecture. Without a barrel signature or initials behind the rear sight, it will be difficult to determine who made the rifle, but the lock plate was apparently sold by a hardware store in Madison, Indiana, owned by "G. W. Leonard & Son." There was a George W. Leonard in Madison, Indiana in the 1830s through the 1850s. He was not a gunsmith, but rather served as a trustee in the Christ Episcopal church in Madison for many years (which showed some status in the community), and later formed a bank in Madison in 1841 when railroads were being constructed through Madison. He was a local businessman, and could well have had a hardware store there in the 1850s (although I have not documented it) when your gun was probably made. 

A fellow Hoosier, Jeff Jaeger, is perhaps the most current and informed researcher on Indiana guns, and he is (slowly) putting together a book on the subject. I will contact him and ask him to review your post, and see if he can add anything about G. W. Leonard, or the rifle itself.  Shelby Gallien

[Indiana Gunmakers]

There are few identifying traits to help us attribute the rifle to a specific maker. My first guess would be
one of the several gunmakers that lived in or near Madison, Indiana in the '50s or 60's.  Madison is on the Ohio River and the lock could easily have been transported to a gunmaker elsewhere. The general architecture of the rifle does fit Indiana in the 50's or beyond.

A prominent maker in Madison at the time was Thomas Boicourt and his son, Thomas. I have seen a few signed Boicourt rifles. They were stamped with block letters, "T Boicourt". Sinacius Anger worked for some time at the same address as Boicourt and could have been an apprentice.

The large sights on the rifle may indicate  that this was built as a target rifle. There was a Gillespie family of gunmakers nearby. They made target rifles in the period.

Those are my initial thoughts. Do you know where the gun was purchased by your relative?

Thanks to my friend "Tanselman" for alerting me to this inquiry. If you communicate with him soon, ask him how long he has been working on his book of "Kentucky makers" Next ask him how many gunmaker books he has completed to-date. Then we shall truly find out who has been "slowly" working on our respective projects!!

[JTR]

I can't help with who made it, but it looks like a fine halfstock, and in very nice condition!
Thanks for posting the pictures.
John