Trying to identify this patch box and gun origin

[wildcatter]

A friend of mine is starting a copy of this gun and was wondering the style of the stock and patchbox and where it could have originated.  This gun is in rough shape and instead of repairing it he though he would just re-create it. It has a Golcher lock which doesn't mean much as we know he produced locks for many years.  Just trying to find out location and style.  This is the only picture I have at the moment.  Help would greatly be appreciated.



Here is the patchbox closer up.  Again, any help would be appreciated as this gun is a young kids (25) great grandfather's and he had to buy it at auction just to get it back.  He is trying to re-create it to hunt with.  Thanks

[Dennis Glazener]

I wouldn't doubt its southern, maybe NC/SW VA but need more/better photos of tang, closeup of triggers/triggerplate, buttplate, sideplate. Is it a swamped barrel?
Dennis

[wildcatter]

I posted the only pics he has. The barrel doesn't look to flair out at the end to me in the pictures but who knows i'm cetainly a novice long rifle person.  He is bring the gun over middle of next week and I will shoot the gun myself and post the pictures.

[wildcatter]

Here are the pictures, finally.  The gun was in a Bedford, VA family for many years and was reported to be used in the Civil War but getting this second hand.  The great newphew would like any help identifying styles or locations of origin and maybe a time it could have been produced.  He wants to reproduce this one to hunt with and hang this one on the mantle.  The barrel is swamped and the patch box has been nailed shut.  The forstock is broken just above the brass ramrod mount.  The only markings are a D or L and O right behind the trigger gaurd.  Any help is always appreciated.  If you need more pics or info let me know.

[Dennis Glazener]

I wouldn't be surprised that the rifle was made somewhere in the Bedford VA area. I bet those triggers have the mainspring in the front. Kind of looks that way. I suspect that's the trigger mainspring screw coming through the lockplate in front of the front trigger. (actually two, one probably is the tang through bolt)
Good photos.
Dennis

[wildcatter]

Thanks Dennis, I am hoping we can figure out if it is a SW VA gun or not.  I may take it over for Wallace to look at if he isn't terribly busy.

[msmith]

Similar patchbox on page 39 ,383 in Chandlers s Patchbox book.Peter Angstat on the first one..The one on page 383 does have expanded panels though, but finial is similar,made by Watt..That finial you see alot..I just read a article on Contract Rifles of 1792/1807 by Flanagan that shows some simple two piece patchboxs, Makers include, John Demuth, J Henry,Peter Gonter, Dickert Gumph probably more...I wonder if some of the makers did not get this idea after seeing these contract rifles and figure we will put these on our working man guns????You also see the simple two piece patchbox on New England Rifles, but the finial is different...

[KLMoors]

Cool gun. Thanks for the pics. You've probably already checked but just to be safe- Are you sure it is not loaded? Lots of the old ones were left loaded.

[wildcatter]

Thanks for the patch box info. I tend to agree it may have been added to a family gun, although it is in-laid into the gun as opposed to being just added on the surface.  I'm hoping to get some more info from the family over the weekend.  I checked to see if it was loaded and it isn't thankfully.  It doesn't seem to have all the features of a SW VA gun so we are just trying to figure out an area it could have been made.  The family has been in Bedford, VA for years but don't know if the gun is from that area or not.  Thanks for all the help, keep it coming!

[38_Cal]

Speaking from a mechanical standpoint, it appears that the Golcher lock is a replacement, and the screws holding the patchbox lid down are there because the latch mechanism is kaput and the local blacksmith didn't know how to fix it.  You can see the release button in the toe plate.

David Kaiser
Montezuma, IA