Photos Added,43-9/16" 36 cal swamped barrel signed S. P: in script on top flat,

[General]

 I purchased this rifled barrel from DBoone last week and I am looking for any information about it. We have a hunch that it dates early to mid 1800's. Has anyone saw the initials prior to this barrel?  It has 3 small dovetail lugs on the bottom, silver and brass front sight (very small), buckhorn style rear sight and a short tang that has 2 screw holes that goes to a point. It has a 3/8 tapped hole that was probably for a percussion tumbler but the breechplug is protruding behind it (I made a flash hole liner for it). Makes me wonder if it had a 3/8" flash hole liner.  I've ordered the parts to put this barrel back into service.  Rusted bore but it is cleaning up fairly good.
  Any info would be appreciated. Thanks all.
                     General,

[mbriggs]

Samuel Peterson worked in Catawba County North Carolina.   With the two screw tang, that is a possibility.

Michael

[General]

  Thanks Michael, that's a place to start. I thought I had seen a post on an S P before but I couldn't locate it anywhere. Thanks for the information.
        George

[Hungry Horse]

George;

 Without a doubt you are not the first person to repurpose this barrel. My suspicion is that this was originally a late flint, most assuredly converted to percussion, and quite likely from North Carolina.
 Freshening out a wrought iron barrel is much easier than doing so on a modern steel one. A good dose of the freshening rod might make this barrel a real tack driver. Wrought barrels have qualities that steel barrels do not.

  Hungry Horse

[General]

Hungry Horse. I appreciate your comments and being new to this (6 months maybe), I have a lot to learn. I'm thinking the same about its origin and how it started life. It came to me from South Carolina last week so it atleast was in the right area for a little while.
  After reading Michaels comments, I went back to the ALR forums and found that he for 1 is an expert in that area. I read till midnight and learned quite a few things. Excited to see the comments and new finds. Looking forward to my 1st long rifle show.

  Thank you,   George

[General]

  Does anyone have the book "North Carolina Schools of Longrifles 1765-1865" and can tell me if there are any of Samuel Petersons rifles featured in it and have the same script signed initials on the top flat?  It is a large coffee table edition.   If so I want to buy one, if not, I'll keep looking.  Thanks all.

[Karl Kunkel]

There are three Samuel Peterson rifles featured.  One signed with "SP" initials in script on the brass patchbox lid, one signed "S. Peterson" on the barrel flat, and one attributed.

[General]

  Kunk, I appreciate the info. I will order the book so I can get it as close as I can to original and hang it on the wall in my little shop. Thank you, George
  Darned oh autospell.

[General]

  My copy of the book arrived today but the script initials that are featured doesn't match. Looking at the Rowan School, the tang is very closely shaped and with 2 screws. They were close to the same region??? 
  I think I will build it as a Rowan School unless someone has more photos of the signed top flat that matches the S.P: on this barrel.
  Once again, I appreciate the comments and information to get it started.

[Goo]

Are you certain that is an "S"  ?     It looks like it could be a script  "L" as easily as an S

[General]

Yes sir. There is a light line all the way down through the lower loop. It's a little bit hard to see in the photo but it is there. I have feelers out to the museums and libraries in Catabaw County NC and Troy NY as the only original rifle builders I can find online with those initials are Samuel Peterson and Samuel Peck in those areas. Thank you as I had thought I had read something about an LP signed barrel on here that might have been a SP or visaversa.