Author Topic: Mystery rifle  (Read 1313 times)

Offline Curtiss

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Mystery rifle
« on: April 11, 2023, 03:26:37 AM »
I have gotten my first truly antique muzzleloader, and was wondering if anyone has any idea when/where this rifle was built? It is a heavy straight octagon barrel, of .31 caliber, double set, single lever trigger. It also has no half cock.






















Offline AZshot

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Re: Mystery rifle
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2023, 03:38:30 AM »
Looks nice.  I'd guess Kentucky, but let's see what Shelby says.

Offline Tanselman

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Re: Mystery rifle
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2023, 08:38:00 AM »
This rifle has a "heavy" front post on its guard, somewhat like Lexington rifles from Kentucky's Bluegrass region, but the gun did not come from Kentucky. Two indicators say otherwise:
1) The side facings around the lock have extended wood in front and behind the lock plate. Kentucky guns usually had a rather tight, uniform side facing around the entire lock plate that looked like one continuous band of approximately the same width... it did not widen toward the front and rear. This was particularly true with bluegrass area guns.
2) There is a slight "fish belly" in the butt's lower line, which is almost never found on Kentucky guns with their straight comb and toe lines forming a triangular butt. [David R. Estill of Fleming County was an exception, but they are few and far between]

There are not enough details on this rifle to locate it with any certainty, but if I were guessing, I'd say probably Ohio.

Shelby Gallien
« Last Edit: April 11, 2023, 08:41:26 AM by Tanselman »

Offline Curtiss

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Re: Mystery rifle
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2023, 05:19:04 PM »
Thank you very much for all the insight!
-Curtiss