JP Beck measurements
Overall length: 58 1/8”
Barrel length: 43 3/8”
Trigger pull: 14”
Barrel diameter across the flat/breech: 7/8”
Butt width: 1 ѕ”
Butt height: 5”
Cheek –piece width: 1 ѕ”
Width at lock tail: 1 Ѕ”
Wrist width: 1 ј”
Wrist height: 1 3/8”
Ramrod pipe length: 1 ј”
Muzzle to front of first pipe: 5”
Muzzle to front of second pipe: 18 ѕ”
Muzzle to front of rear pipe: 30 ј”
Lock plate length: 4 Ѕ”
Caliber: apprx. .48 cal.
Lock Markings: Steele/Warran/Albany (percussion lock)
Barrel Markings: J P Beck
Smoothbore/Rifle: Smoothbore
Number of grooves in barrel: --
Comments:
A superior rifle, both artistically and condition-wise... I think it should be sent to my house instead of the museum! I particularly like the earlier period Beck carving, which seems to retain a touch of the baroque style within its rococo elements.
Beck rifles don't get any better than this one. The percussion conversion is just a part of its history and does not detract from this rifle.
A very nice Beck, indeed. I do not see it as an especially early gun by him based on the carving, however: more in his middle period, perhaps. Beck was a maker who varied his wood carving more than most other makers. In any case, this rifle deserves a place on the Library wall. Most admirers of the KY Rifle like Beck guns and see far too few of them.
Aside from the replaced lock, there is an unsettling aspect to the patchbox on this rifle. I wonder if the brass box was added later, or has been replaced. The photograph is somewhat indistinct, but the engraving apears to be inferior to what is seen on other Beck rifles. It could have had a wood box an earlier original owner tossed it in favor of brass. Just wondering.
interesting comments. I looked at the box again. The inside view showing the hinge indicates restoration to repair a broken hinge... note the couple of bright segments of hinge against the old dark segments. But the box generally looks OK to me. Sometimes I think Beck's carving outshown his engraving. When a brass box replaces an earlier wooden lid, often the cut in the butt plate for the lid shows slanted filing in the corners, rather than straight filing. I can't see any slant in the corners of the cut, but then, that's not fool proof. It still looks pretty good to me.
Interesting / thoughtful considerations in regards to the patch box. Looking at the photos I would bet the patch box to be original to the rifle and JP's work. The box, hinge and release are done in the JP Beck manner. Possibly the engraving might not be his very best effort but it is of his style and in keeping with the level of the rifles overall ornamentation. I guess without careful hands on scrutiny there can be room for question.
What can you say about JP Beck that hasn't already been said? I consider this a grand rifle, extremely pleasing and another great gift to the library. I would also agree that this rifle is probably from his middle years.
