Lancaster Smooth Rifle/ Buck and Ball gun. Picture heavy

[rich pierce]

Yesterday I received an original Lancaster buck and ball gun I’d purchased. It has been shown here previously. Some may call it a smooth rifle.  I love the guard and tang carving. The gun is in attic condition.
Barrel is 44.5” long, was probably 46” long or even quite longer, based on front sight location, another ramrod thimble inlet between the middle and forward thimble, and forward underlug location. At the breech the barrel is 1 and 3/16” across the flats. The smooth bore at the muzzle is about .670 and it is .630” in diameter about 2” in.
The buttplate is 1 and 3/4” wide and was 4 and 5/8” tall before it broke. The lock is 6” long.

It is stocked in tight grained hard maple with a real knot mid comb. The current ramrod is steel.

I note the lock and barrel are of early form, guessing 1760-1770. The latest feature of course is the use of tailed washers instead of a sideplate. However I note that when the washers are removed, there is evidence of a round impression, possibly from lock bolt heads. This may indicate the washers are secondary. The guard looks straight up Lancaster in side view but has bold and interesting extensions. I will dummy up a duplicate for casting and may make another with a wider bow and rail to give an earlier feel.

Candidates based on the tang carving include Jacob Metzger (he used little chip details) and Peter Gonter. Of course we like to make guesses so I’m guessing 1780-1800 build using some old parts. But if it was Metzger I believe he’d relocated to Maryland and changed his style by then.

[Jim Kibler]

I'd guess most everything except the buttplate, lock bolt washers and muzzle cap are re-used from an earlier European gun.  With those lock bolt washers, I think it's very optimistic to think this is 18th century.  The buttplate looks pretty thin as well.  Neat piece.

Jim

[WESTbury]

The triggerguard looks somewhat German military influenced, especially with the clearance hole, possibly for a slingswivel.