ALR Master Gunsmith: Daniel (or David) Boyer of Orwigsburg, PA ( Target Rifle)

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

The Museum Committee is proud to display the second Boyer rifle in the collection. this being a fine "target" rifle.

Here is the URL:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=13826.0

Comment as a "reply" here, please

The Museum Committee

[Blacksmoke]

Hurricane, I believe  the heavy barreled David Boyer target rifle was made originally in flint because of the two lock screws and upon close examination I found the remains of a vent pick holder under the cheekrest.  Who ever did the conversion to percussion basically "butchered" the breech and lock.  I converted it back to flint and rebreeched it.  The barrel had a left hand twist bore and was stamped: "Leeds" on the under side. I doubt that the barrel was ever shortened as there were no tell tale signs of that being done.  I suspect that this gun was made late in Boyer's career circa: 1860 as the workmanship was indicative of some one who was "winding down" at the end of his career.  One further comment: the patch box was fitted with BRASS screws!    Hugh Toenjes

[SPG]

Gentlemen,

I have a D. Boyer rifle very similar to the one posted...same name-stamp, architecture and general appearance although somewhat plainer yet. Specs are- Fullstock, .49 caliber, 39" barrel (hand-forged and unmarked), left-hand 1-48" twist, wide land- narrow groove, 1.380 at muzzle, 1.425 at breech, 19 pounds, Henry Parker flintlock in original condition, double set triggers, barrel sights with screw holes for a breech peep sight like the rifle pictured. Bore is in excellent condition and the rifle really shoots well.

One curious feature- the ramrod hole is not drilled through the forestock. Thimbles are present, with a ramrod groove, but no hole. I'm assuming that this was done to meet the match rules of "rifle must carry a ramrod"? Does the rifle pictured have a drilled forearm?

I shoot this Boyer rifle, sparingly, and it is a real tack-driver. The bore has a slight choke and has been freed in the breech. It still has it's original, unlined touch hole and came with it's handmade ball mould. Bought from a pawn-shop in Phoenix, of all places.

Steve Garbe

[okieboy]

 This is a very interesting piece to me. The "rest" area behind the muzzle cap would be called a cant block on a southern mountain chunk gun, but I haven't seen one on rifles from other regions. Are there other examples on integral cant blocks on nonsouthern rifles? Also, this is the first cant block with "wear plates" that I have seen, though it is a nice touch and quite sensible. A picture from the bottom of this block would be nice, to show the detail of the plates' attachment.
 Thank you, Hurricane for sharing this piece.

[SPG]

Okieboy,

The Boyer rifle I have here also has an identical forearm with block rest.

For lack of a better term I have called these types of rifles "Pennsylvania Turkey Rifles" as the turkey match was a popular diversion in the day. Later-day 'smiths such as John Sherry, Jr. almost specialized in this sort of rifle. 'Longrifles of Pennsylvania' by Harringer shows several of Sherry's target rifles. Sherry apparently was known as a tough shooter in these matches...and it would naturally help a gunsmith sell his rifles by having this sort of reputation.

The Northeastern matches apparently differed from the Southern 'chunk' matches in that peep sights were allowed, given the number of match rifles that were fit out with them. Here in Cody we allow 'any pre-1870' iron sight in our log matches as a separate class- Target Rifle. Some of our shooters simply can't see barrel sights and this allows them to continue shooting matches...while also recognizing that these sorts of rifles were definitely part of the scene back in the day.

Steve Garbe

[Blacksmoke]

Steve:  Thanks for the comments on the D. Boyer "chunk gun".  The one that I restored did have the ramrod hole drilled back to the trigger guard anchor lug.  The bore size was .465" and rifled in a 1 X 48" twist.  It ,also, weighed over 18 lbs.  This was not a hunting rifle!  But rather one that was built for competition shooting.  Although I never shot it I am sure that it would preform very well.     Hugh Toenjes

[okieboy]

 Steve, thanks for that information, there is always something new to learn. I also like that you told us the rules for your local shoot. One of the things that I like about chunk shooting is that the shoots are basicly local events, so the rules can be varied to fit the needs and desires of the local group of shooters.

[Don Getz]

As I was growing up, anytime we came across a heavy barreled muzzleloader it was callled a "beef gun", probably because so many of those old matches were shot for meat prizes, sometimes the whole cow.   ..........Don

[Roger Fisher]

As I was growing up, anytime we came across a heavy barreled muzzleloader it was callled a "beef gun", probably because so many of those old matches were shot for meat prizes, sometimes the whole cow.   ..........Don

Were they bench matches or Log or both

[Don Getz]

Roger......not sure how these matches were held.   The over the log think seems to be a southern thing, althoough I could
be wrong on that.    Over the years I have seen a lot of heavy barreled kentuckies, made here in Pa., so there had to be
matches held.    Because of their weight they had to be rested on something......could have been prone over a log, who
knows.     I have found a great "S. Miller", heavy barreled flint gun that I am trying to buy.    It is in beautiful shape, looks
to shootable.   S. Miller is supposedly from Berks County, but perhaps he moved to Union County later on.   This gun has
the typical Samuel Baum trigger guard and the horn sideplate so commonly found on Baum rifles.    Then, on the other
hand, this gun came out of Lebanon county, which is getting down the Berks county way.   ......Don

[SPG]

Don,

In my research I think that the main differences between the Northeastern matches and the Southern were that the Northern matches were shot from the old "plank and sawhorse" rest, rather than a log, peep sights were allowed, and generally the Northern matches were shot at 20 rods (110 yards). I realize that I'm painting with a broad brush and that there were probably many local variations, especially on distances.

We are going to have some of the Northern variety here in Cody as a way of something new. I like the old Northern match rifles...some were a little clunky, but many were quite pleasing, with nicely done carving or incise work. There is a fascination with old "money" guns, sort of like with duelers...

Steve