New York Muzzleloader

[Leighton]

I recently purchased a unique muzzleloader that has an outside mainspring. The name on the barrel is B. Losey. A friend of mine tells me that it was made in Caroline,NY. Anyone know anything about it or the maker?
AND ,how do I post a picture on this site?Click on URL below for picture

[Curt J]

This is no doubt Benjamin L. Losey, who was born in Otsego County, New York,  June 12, 1816. He was a son of Abiel Losey, who was also a gunsmith. He came to Mott's Corners, (now Brooktondale), Tompkins County, during the late 1840's, and worked there until the mid 1870's.  He was in Syracuse, 1879-1884. The family is listed in the town of Caroline, in the 1850 census. He died in Chicago, Illinois on March 13, 1896.

The book The New York State Firearms Trade, Vol. 3, by Holman J. Swinney, compiled by Tom Rowe, contains a considerable amount of further information on Benjamin Losey and other members of the Losey family who worked at the gunsmith's trade.

[490roundball]

his brother John stayed in the gun business in Caroline and is burried there.  He partnered with the Lull family a contection that began with Abiel, who opened a "gun factory" in Trumansburg, Tompkins County prior to the family's moving the factory to Caroline on the other side of Ithaca.

More pictures please :,

[nord]

More photos and owner consent will almost certainly gain the gun a place in the Museum & Library. We need more NY rifles.