Early gun, possibly Grice.

[Lucky R A]

      The below pictured gun recently came into my shop.  It is kind of an intriguing piece, and I wonder what ideas the board might have about it.  The barrel is full octagon 45" long  1.115 at the breech .880 at the waist and .980 at the muzzle. The bore mikes at .638.  The barrel markings are pictured.    It is stocked in curly maple and has a 14 5/8 LOP.  The patchbox is cast and the release is a plunger mounted in the buttplate.  The plunger pushes inward on a spring/catch attached with screws to the bottom of the box cavity.  There has been some speculation that this is an early Grice trade gun.  What think ye?

[rich pierce]

It looks like a restock of a Grice or Wilson of the sort Shumway presented in the old Buckskin Report series of articles.  I have the articles, PM me if interested.  Should have "LONDON" engraved in script on the barrel.

I think the originals all used a catch that was driven straight down into the patchbox cavity and caught a square hole in the lid.  They were stocked in English walnut.

I'd say the barrel, sideplate, buttplate, guard and patchbox are from an earlier gun (a Grice or Wilson trade rifle, now restocked here in maple)- the lock, if from the same gun, should have Wilson or Grice engraved on it.

[Stophel]

The triggerguard is VERY Bucks-ish.

[rich pierce]

good eye, yer right.

[Mike Brooks]

Yeah, what Rich said.

[Lucky R A]

   Thanks Rich, I will send you a message.   The original lock was missing and the present lock is a modified L & R .   There is no engraving on the top of the barrel, just the proof marks shown.  A gun with the same patch box showed up years ago, it came out of the Seneca nation at Kinzua.  That gun was allegedly associated with Chief Cornplanter.   I have not seen the other gun, but a knowledgeable collector who has seen both guns provided the information.    I would appreciate any information on this type gun that anyone can provide.   


Ron

[Mike Brooks]

I would appreciate any information on this type gun that anyone can provide.   

Get Dewitt Bailey's book on English rifles. best resource I have found on these guns. These were alliance guns given mainly to indians and possibly Tory riflemen.

[smart dog]

Hi Ron,
I think your rifle is almost assuredly a crude restock using various parts some of which came from a Grice indian rifle.  The barrel was made by Grice and associates probably around 1780-1785. It would not have London marks because Grice was a Birmingham maker. The patch box, barrel, buttplate are probably from a Grice rifle.  The sideplate and triggerguard likely are from something else.  The Grice rifles were stocked in English walnut and according to Bailey, all showed some sort of carving around the barrel tang and cheek piece.

dave