Cap Box ID Help Needed!

[Sequatchie Rifle]

This is on a Madison County Alabama Half Stocked Rifle. Box marked New York, but can’t make out the rest.








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[oakridge]

It is marked John Moore / New York. Could have a middle initial there. He obviously supplied mountings to gunsmiths.  I've seen this same mark on a German silver cap box of another Southern-made halfstock. Don't know if this is the same John Moore as J. P. Moore & Sons of NYC.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Thanks! I obtained the rifle from a local man whose grandfather bought it from the old gunsmith that was located on the east side of the Huntsville Courthouse Square before he served in the War Between the States. That would make it a pre-1860 rifle. I’ll post a few photos and see what other members think about the age. It was allegedly built by a B. Ferguson. That’s how I came to get it. We share the same name and the fellow I got it from thought that it was appropriate that I got it.

[oakridge]

Nice rifle. It certainly fits the 1850s. The rifle I had with the same markings under the cap-box lid was by a Vicksburg, Miss. maker, and of the same era.

[Eric Krewson]

Interesting butt stock repair, I wonder if it was to increase pull or change the style of the buttplate.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... noticed that too, Eric,... after enlarging photos looks  like an incised line ... also continues along bottom of buttstock ....

[Sequatchie Rifle]

It’s an incised line. It runs along the bottom too.

[Eric Krewson]

I see, on the third picture down it looked like a square dovetail had been cut and a piece fitted in, the grain lines made it look that way but I see now it was just a scratch.

[wildcatter]

Awesome that it has your same name!! Thanks for sharing!

Matt