Joseph Long original flintlock rifle

[dmb1953]

I sure appreciate the input from you guys.  It appears that the rifle has been built using the barrel from an earlier rifle.  In my collection of Ontario rifles I have several that date in the 1860s that use locks or barrels from circa 1830 guns.  The stock and furniture on this rifle have a great age patina and I and others up here feel to be 1825-30   The screws holding the patch-box are iron..  Since being built this rifle has had really no use.  I have one rifle that appears to have left Wm,P. Marston's shop around 1855 and went right into the attic where it was found in minty unfired condition, so it can happen.  Anyway it seems that the rifle has nothing to do with Long.  I still like the rifle, my only American one, tho I may have paid too much for it.  Hope someone can come up with who GC on the barrel is.  Also I feel that Jonathan Wood came from Penn and hope someone has some info. for me on him.  He seems to have been well trained when he came to Upper Canada.   Thanks again you guys.Don 

[wildcatter]

This rifle looks remarkably similar to the George Smith or George Spangle rifle in the Upper Susquehanna virtual reference you have posted in the Library.  I know the signature isn't exactly the same but even the stock and carving look similar.

[nord]

Bear in mind that a good number of Upper Susquehanna makers were neighbors. Not perhaps next door neighbors but at least acquaintances and maybe friends. In at least some instances it would appear that components were shared and designs were similar to the point where it's now difficult to assign some guns to a particular maker with any degree of certainty.

This rifle? Probably not by Joe Long. Actually I'm fairly certain of this. All the same it wouldn't be unfair to opine a Joe Long influence... Or maybe better said the influence of what we might consider a local fraternity of makers.