Andrew Altland

[rlm]

Here are some photos of a pretty nice untouched York Co. PA  Kentucky  Rifle signed A Altland
















site to upload photos

[Ky-Flinter]

Really nice!  Thank you for sharing it.

-Ron

[B.Barker]

A really nice find. Don't see to many that haven't been tinkered with any more.

[OldSouthRelics]

Very nice piece. Thank you very much for sharing the pictures. I really like that stock.

[DaveM]

That looks very nice and very original, thanks for posting photos.  Is that a new find to the collecting world?

I always liked the York County rifles in general, I think they are some of the finest made anywhere. 

[rlm]

Dave,  I don't think it has been passed around very much or someone would have messed with it. A signature is there but under a layer of crud which I have desided to leave alone;  same with the lock and that unusual percussion conversion. Andrew Altland was a later maker but retained much of the "Golden Age" style. Great archetecture,  lower butt and foresrock mouldings & good relief carving. His engraving is not stellar but still pleasing. He learned the trade from his father and worked in Dover twp about 10 miles north of York city. The lock plate is stamped Pa&S Small a York hardware supply business that was established in 1833. If the lock is original to the rifle, which I think it is, that gives a relative production date for the rifle.

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Very Fine "attack condition" rifle. I recently acquired one and was advised to "stabilize" the rusting barrel with a light coat of WD40 carefully applied with a fine paint brush. Wonder if others use this same method or suggest something else?
Hurricane

[OldSouthRelics]

In my opinion the "conversion" looks similar to the Civil War Era "conversions" known as the "Belgian Conversion" or "Cone Type Conversion". This is commonly seen in an area where I have substantially more experience collecting, Muskets (Mike I used it correctly this time). It was a common way the Belgian's would convert their Flint's to Percussion, thus the name.

On a side note: I prefer the word "alteration" when discussing the change from Flintlock to Percussion, but do utilize "conversion" myself in conversation because it seems to be widely accepted collecting term. I think I came across an article from Nord Flayderman where he also took issue with the term "conversion", because the actual purpose of the firearm is not being changed, just altered.

[rlm]

What I find interesting is the way the pan was  removed. Look closely and you will see that it was cut on an angle through the bolster instead of flush with the outside of the lock plate.