Samuel Beck

[TMerkley]

Does anyone have a Samuel Beck Rifle or have any pictures of his work.  I picked up a barrel at Friendship that is approx. .36 cal and was stamped SBECK on the top flat.  I know that he was a brother to Christian Beck and a grandson to JPBeck.  I know that he was in Indianapolis from about 1830-1865.  I was wanting to build a rifle similar to his style if possible with that barrel, with a dickert style flint-lock from L&R. 

Any suggestions or info would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you
Tom

[490roundball]

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=17648.0

[Blacksmoke]

Tom:   I did a restoration on a Samuel Beck rifle some yrs. ago. My research put him in Indianapolis alright but if I remember correctly his dates of active gun making were somewhat later than 1830 - 1865.    Anyway the gun that I worked on was a halfstock in percussion - it had not been converted.  It did however have a curly maple stock.  I believe most of ,if not all of, his guns were made in percussion.
Can you post a photo of the barrel?         Hugh Toenjes

[TMerkley]

I can try,

I am not good with that sort of thing.  When I got the barrel. the sights were still on.  silver front sight and buck horn rear.  It was originally a full length stock with 4 under lugs. (one missing).  The breech had already been cut and rethreaded by some one else for a 5/8ths breech plug.  I have seen a picture of one of S.Beck's rifles that was half-stock but not a full-stock.  I will try to look at the one in the link.
It may be a day or two before I can get a picture posted.

[B Shipman]

I'd rethink the lock.

[Tanselman]

Samuel Beck rifles show up regularly in the midwest. Jeff Jaeger, who is doing a book on Indiana Gunmakers, has several and has photographed others, including full-stocked S. Becks. He responds at times on this site. I will contact him about the inquiry, and perhaps he can provide a photo of an early full-stocked S. Beck. A couple of early Indiana S. Beck rifles have very superior curly maple stock wood. Shelby Gallien

[TMerkley]

Thanks, 
Greatly appreciated!

[Tanselman]

Tom,  I heard back from Jeff Jaeger today, and I think he might be responding in the next day or two.  Shelby Gallien

[hamm63]

I have an S. Beck half stock. The rifle appears to be a .38cal with 40" octagon heavy barrel. It is percussion, stocked in beautiful curly maple and brass mounted with pewter pored nose / entry thimble.  The barrel is about 40" long and has had what appears to be pins in the side flats about 4" back from the muzzle. They have been cut of flush with the barrel stock. I assume they may have been for an sight shade.
The length of the barrel and the weight of the barrel and the .38cal makes me think this rifle was built to be a chunk gun.

Hope this information will help you out. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

[TMerkley]

Sir,
Do you have any pictures? 

What is the diameter of the barrel across the flats?

[Majorjoel]

I don't know if this will be of any help to you but this is a rifle made by Christian Beck in Indianapolis.         

[hamm63]

I am sending some dimensions for you.

Barrel across flats 1 1/8" straight
Barrel length 40 1/2"
Barrel stamped "S BECK" on top flat.

Location where there had at one time been what looks like pins in side flat of barrel on each side (I believe for a shade) 3 1/8" back from muzzle.

Lock, percussion front action type marked "Moore"

Double set triggers

If you need pictures, let me know I will try to get that done.


Dave Hammond

[TMerkley]

Thank You all for the information.  My barrel currently measures 39 1/4" after having been cut and fitted with modern threads for breech plug.  I am not sure how much was cut off before I got it.  It is 1" across the flats and is straight.  It is a seven groove barrel.