Russell Bean rifle Picts?

[clint e]

I did a google search for a picture of any original Russell Bean rifle and did not find any. Anyone have or know of any pictures of these early rifles?

[Tanselman]

This rifle is a modern gun built around an original barrel. Everything else is on the gun is new. You might be better served by getting Jerry Noble's book, "Notes on Southern Longrifles - Vol 2" where a half dozen Bean rifles are illustrated. Jerry's photos aren't the best, but you can still get a good idea of stock architecture and furniture on Bean rifles. Shelby Gallien

[tom patton]

As far as I know,there is no evidence that Russell Bean{1769-1826] ever built rifles although while serving with the Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812 he was attached to the armory as was his son Charles {1795-after 1850}.It has been suggested that he made a  trip to New Orleans with a cargo of arms and stayed for two years.There doesn't seem to be any other proof that he was a gunsmith and the guns signed R Bean are thought to have been made by Robert Bean possibly his son.  The earliest known Bean gunsmith was George Bean who advertised in the Knoxville Gazette in 1792 that he made silver and guns .No signed silver or guns are known so no attribution  for either can be made.The only R. Bean guns of which I am aware is a pair of pistols which were stolen many years ago and reunited with the original owner or his heirs several years ago.I would like to see pictures of the R Bean gun but figure out how to pull up  pictures of the gun mentioned.

The Beans were Tennessee's most famous family of gunsmiths and as expected the faking is and has been rampant.Their guns are usually signed on a silver plate in the barrel and absent that there's very little difference between Bean guns and others from the upper East Tennessee school.I have long suspected and Earl Lanning agrees that the so called Bean guard and other mounts were in reality made by local blacksmiths and then sold to various gunsmiths.The similarity of Bean guns to other gunsmiths such as Ambrose Lawing,Jason Harris and others makes it  very difficult to attribute any unsigned guns from that area to the Beans.

Iwould still like to see the pictures of the gun in question.
Tom Patton