Longrifles with Masonic Symbols

[Buck]

Kurt,
I agree, if Brunker was a brother he would not put the symbols on the rifle of somebody outside the craft.
Buck

[Ken G]

That's a very good deduction. 
I would guess that he did do a good business building rifles for fellow Masons if he made a stamp for them. 

[Shreckmeister]

Peter White Patchbox with Masonic compass

[Buck]

Rob,
Great box, it is possible that it is Masonic, I would lean toward yes but in parallel with todays symbolism it is missing a symbolor twofor the slam dunk. I would point out that the finial although has a floral finial it also is in the shape of the AEth  Fire.
Buck

[Curt J]

A friend of mine formerly owned an exceptionally fine rifle, made by Zachariah Albright, Jr., that had an "all-seeing eye" on the patchbox finial.  Although this was a traditional fullstock, with full patchbox, it was dated 1876, which would be after Z. A., Jr. moved to Iowa.

[Habu]

I've seen two rifles by Rotten of Nebraska City that had Masonic symbols engraved on them (the compass and square on one, compass/square/star on the other).  The second one was clearly engraved by a professional engraver, so I'm not sure if it was done at the time of building or later. 

I've heard of--but not seen--a rather fancy Birringer rifle that was supposedly built for a Master Mason in the post-Civil War era.  Last I heard it was somewhere in the Topeka area.