Author Topic: Broken or interupted fore stock molding More pictures added (Read 5569 times)

gibster · « **on:** October 05, 2012, 09:46:37 PM »

I was reading some earlier posts by Mike Briggs on North Carolina rifles and saw that a few of the rifles that are displayed have fore stock molding that is broken or interupted where the barrel wedges or pins go through the stock. Is this a NC thing or was it done in other areas as well. Any info along with pictures would be helpful. Here are a couple of pictures of what I am talking about.

Buck · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2012, 10:02:43 PM »

Gibster,
I recall seeing it on rifles from other areas, unfortunately I can't recall clearly. Possibly it was a rifle from Ohio and a rifle I recently saw from Bedford. Doesn't really help but they are out there. Do you have pictures of the rest of the rifle?
Buck

mr. no gold · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2012, 10:48:22 PM »

Western PA makers, Bedford makers, and Lancaster makers all employed this visual effect. It seems to have been rather widespread. I have seen this done in both raised carved and incised carved forearms. It may have been carried down to NC at some point in time from one of the Lancaster makers who went south.
Dick

Larry Luck · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2012, 10:52:38 PM »

The Melchior Fordney rifle on the KRA CD (no. 1) has a similar detail from one of the photos on the KRA V1 N1 CD.

Larry Luck

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:26:30 PM »

Jacob Kuntz used football shaped inlays over his barrel wedges, and the incised molding lines faded in and out as they came into proximity.

Curt J · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:44:51 PM »

My Marcus L. Barrett rifle, made in Assumption, Illinois, has interrupted moldings. Barrett previously worked in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, before coming to Illinois. It is in the Library here, if you care to take a look.

Tanselman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2012, 12:47:26 AM »

Many (but not all) of the finer rifles made in Kentucky's bluegrass region around Lexington (Lexington Rifle School) used an incised, double line forestock molding that was broken, or interrupted, at the barrel pins or forestock inlays. The forestock molding was terminated with either a small arc cut across the double lines, or a short, wavy line at the end where the first "wave" was tall enough to cover the open end of the molding lines. This detail may have been brought into central KY by North Carolina gunsmiths such as the Bryan family. Shelby Gallien

JTR · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2012, 02:59:20 AM »

I have a Casper Fordney, Lancaster, rifle with an interrupted forestock molding.
John

gibster · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2012, 03:52:48 PM »

Thanks for the info guys. Wealth of knowledge here and it is great to be able to tap into it. The rifle is unsigned and came out of an estate in Pennsylvania. I'm trying to find out where. Will post more pictures of the rifle when time permits.

Larry Luck · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2012, 11:19:27 PM »

gibster,

The photos would be appreciated.

Larry Luck

mbriggs · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2012, 07:19:02 PM »

Gibster,
Of the nine Schools in North Carolina, only the Jamestown School used the broken or interupted fore-stock molding. It started here with Thaddeus Gardner, as it is on most of the early rifles he made. Later gunsmiths William Lamb and Jabez Stephens added this feature to most of their best rifles.

Michael

gibster · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2012, 11:17:20 PM »

Here are a couple of pictures of the butt of the rifle. As you can see, it has had a bad break in the wrist that someone tried to glue back together. It is missing several inlays also, along with the patch box lid. It's in need of a good restoration. The rifle came out of an estate in Braddock Pa Near Pittsburgh. Allegheny County. Any thoughts as to maker?

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