Author Topic: “Western” rifle (Read 2932 times)

Vaquero · « **on:** February 02, 2021, 04:59:06 AM »

Just saw this and thought y’all might be interested in it as well. Curious to your thoughts on it.

https://ciscosgallery.com/collections/old-west-cowboy-firearms/products/full-stocked-percussion-conversion-rifle-d1415_jo

Davison

Marcruger · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2021, 05:10:18 AM »

Looks mighty chunky to me.

Avlrc · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2021, 05:56:08 AM »

What a chunk. Buffalo or Grizz rifle. Would hate to carry it. Could be a target gun, but why such a large cal? If you buy it & hang it on the wall , better use big nails. Thanks for posting.

Tanselman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2021, 07:17:32 AM »

We need more information on this rifle. Large bore, but is it still rifled at that bore size, or was it reamed out to handle shot? Barrel has been shortened based on location of rear sight, and no maker's name on barrel. Not a whole lot there to get excited about. Shelby Gallien

Collector · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2021, 07:53:06 AM »

Looks like a straight grain maple stock and artificial curl made with burned rope.

Its caliber, size and proportions may be the very reason it has survived in one piece.

Avlrc · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2021, 05:36:53 PM »

Quote from: Tanselman on February 02, 2021, 07:17:32 AM

We need more information on this rifle. Large bore, but is it still rifled at that bore size, or was it reamed out to handle shot? Barrel has been shortened based on location of rear sight, and no maker's name on barrel. Not a whole lot there to get excited about. Shelby Gallien

Yeah, maybe a bored out target rifle.

Longknife · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2021, 06:30:17 PM »

That was NEVER a flintlock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

louieparker · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2021, 07:06:57 PM »

Longknife for one thing that cut looked a bit fresh didn't it ? LP

Majorjoel · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2021, 07:29:53 PM »

I'm surprised none of you folks remember that Steve McQueen played a character named Josh Randall in a western TV series back in the late 50's\early 60's! "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is still on the air on ME TV here.

That rifle with that name makes me a bit suspicious.

wormey · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2021, 07:52:44 PM »

I do indeed remember Josh Randall from tv, but in this case I think that "JOSh" is an abbreviation for JOSEPH. wormey

Vaquero · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2021, 08:21:38 PM »

A little bit more information i gleaned... apparently it is still rifled, bore is clean, and the overall weight is 12 pounds.

Davison

Avlrc · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2021, 09:11:01 PM »

12 pounds , figured more. Guess .70 cal removed a lot of iron.

Avlrc · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2021, 09:15:07 PM »

Quote from: Majorjoel on February 02, 2021, 07:29:53 PM

I'm surprised none of you folks remember that Steve McQueen played a character named Josh Randall in a western TV series back in the late 50's\early 60's! "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is still on the air on ME TV here.

That rifle with that name makes me a bit suspicious.

Think , Josh Randall is a fairly common lock. I think I have a gun or two with that on the lock plate.

Maybe this big bore rifle was to put a stop to those big ole steam locomotives, in the course of a bank robbery. Probably more effective than a ponderosa cut across the track. LOL

mr. no gold · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2021, 10:37:31 PM »

The feeling out west here is that true 'plains rifle' with a great big bore was used for hunting bears, specifically grizzly bears. A big .70 cal would definitely stop a big bear in its tracks with a well placed shot. Most true 'California Rifles' have big bores and that was the given reason for large calibers, usually above .50 caliber. The cited gun is an interesting piece and may have been out west for a long time.
Dick

RAT · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2021, 01:41:15 AM »

The rear sight is about midway between the breech and entry pipe. Basically centered over the lower forestock. This would be normal for half stock rifles of this period. This could be the original barrel length. The trigger guard looks earlier. The guard could be re-used from an earlier rifle or could be a replacement.

Einsiedler · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2021, 05:16:26 PM »

Reminds me of the rifle mentioned by Noah Smithwick in his memoirs that he rebored and re-rifled to this approx. size in around 1836-37 for an aquaintance to use for commercial buffalo hunting on some of the local herds. This hunting would in most liklihood have been in the central Texas area possibly in present Travis, Williamson, and Bell county areas. The hunter requested a large bore rifle!

This would have been while he was still doing gun work around Webber’s prairie. He did mention the fellow did kill a number of buffalo and loaded the skins on a makeshift flatboat for a ride down the Colorado. But as they got closer to the coast they snagged and lost the entire load.

Best I remember, Smithwick does not mention if the rifle was flint or percussion. But at this time it could have been either.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2021, 08:16:24 PM »

Quote from: Longknife on February 02, 2021, 06:30:17 PM

That was NEVER a flintlock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed.

Quote from: louieparker on February 02, 2021, 07:06:57 PM

Longknife for one thing that cut looked a bit fresh didn't it ? LP

Yes, it does.

-Ron

Shreckmeister · « **Reply #17 on:** February 03, 2021, 08:52:59 PM »

The price on the Remington New Model looks optimistic.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #18 on:** February 03, 2021, 09:00:02 PM »

Quote from: Shreckmeister on February 03, 2021, 08:52:59 PM

The price on the Remington New Model looks optimistic.

Huh?

-Ron

Vaquero · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2021, 01:06:50 AM »

Nice to hear everyone’s thoughts on the rifle. I too thought the stock was a little less than graceful, but what interested me was the large rifled bore, as I am planning a project with one.

Thanks Einsiedler for mentioning that period account, and Mr. No gold on the western mentality, as it helps in giving some context to these big game rifles.

Einsiedler · « **Reply #20 on:** February 04, 2021, 02:06:54 AM »

Vaquero! I was able to find the reference I mentioned above in Smithwick’s memoirs. I thoight you might find the actual story iinteresting!

Notchy Bob · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2021, 03:49:28 AM »

That's a very interesting rifle. Thanks for posting!

Nothing about it looks like a conversion from flintlock to me. Interesting that it has a simple, single trigger.

Notchy Bob

Bill Wilde · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2021, 04:26:05 AM »

Where have I seen a trigger "decorated" like that before? (The "sawtooth" file marks I'm refering to)

Vaquero · « **Reply #23 on:** February 04, 2021, 05:28:05 PM »

Thanks Ein, that’s pretty cool! A 10 and 8 bore rifle...now that would pack a wallop.

Davison

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Author Topic: “Western” rifle (Read 2932 times)