Gary - there does seem to be some association with the MESDA gun (pretty much the gun that hooked me on iron mounted southern rifles) - particularly the buttplate. Also- the sideplate is very similar to the other stepped wrist, iron mounted gun shown in Whisker's book that he attributes (not sure why) to Christiansburg, Montgomery County.
The toe plate is yet another variation on the style that Wallace pointed out in his articles - i.e. the plate or portions of the plate do not extend across the full width of the toe of the stock - another feature that seems to tie it to the area somewhere south and west of the Botetourt County area or beyond into Tennessee or Kentucky. The toeplate and sideplate have similar elements to those used by Jacob Young, but are more simplified - I don't think he made this piece.
Years ago I recall seeing a smoothbore stocked up with an iron buttplate similar to this gun, musket style guard, and patchbox, that had come out of the Bardstown Kentucky area - can't remember if it had a cheekpiece or not, but the gun had a similar feel to this one.
I really enjoy these guns that appear to be sort of a transitional style, geographically if not from a time/ evolution standpoint, between the well known, fancier brass-mounted styles made in the east and the iron mounted pieces made deeper in the Appalachians. They exhibit sort a mix of characteristics of both regions. Given the timeframes and routes of settlement, they seem to maybe be an evolutionary step that pre-dates the more severely plain iron mounted guns with stylized mounts that became prevalent in Southwestern Virginia, western North Carlolina and Tennessee by the 1820s. However, given that southwestern Virginia and upper East Tennessee were settled for quite a while by the time this gun was made, I also wonder if the style could reflect simultaneous influences from geographic proximity to both styles - such as the Valley or Rockbridge/ Augusta on the north/east and southwestern Virginia on the west and south. Fun to ponder.
I like to imagine a gun like that being carried and used on the mountain or Cumberland frontier areas in the closing years of the wars with the Chickamauga Cherokees, by someone on either side. Just a great, untouched looking piece from the photos.
The guard may have been reused from a military/ militia musket, but for some reason it looks to me like it was made for this gun - I can't really explain why- it just doesn't give the impression of being "reworked" as as you usually see on reused parts. Given the apparent timeframe (right around 1800 would be my guess) I would think it is forged rather than cast. If it is cast, it would be a later replacement and I don't think that is the case given the pristine condition overall.
The nosecap is described as one-piece - is it open on the front end (looks like so in the photos) or swaged up to cover the front of the wood?
Guy
