Author Topic: Antique gun's landed on my lap.....first the rifle... (Read 12006 times)

medbill · « **on:** June 12, 2014, 10:17:11 PM »

Hey Guys,
Someone heard I was into these old these and she gave me this rifle and two percussion double barrels. First this one, nice curly maple with damage to the buttstock with cracked and missing tip/nosecap. I just checked it and I do believe it has a stout load in it. There is some writing on the lock and I will get around to cleaning it up gently to see if I can make it out. Very interesting 5 groove rifling with wide lands. I've never seen that before on an old gun. Cool trigger guard too....any thoughts and where this might have been made, etc? Coming from an old ladies closet, these guns were passed down through the generations. Unfortunately at some point way back someone rasped the cheekpiece almost completely off. Enjoy the pics and look forward to your thoughts. I haven't measured the bore yet but I would say it is over a .50 cal for sure.

T*O*F · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2014, 11:35:50 PM »

PLEASE....If you're gonna post your links like that, just post the one for the slide show so we can work thru them instead of having to go back and forth for each individual picture.

medbill · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2014, 01:26:49 AM »

Sorry thought if I posted all the pics one after one another so they open up I'd get in trouble for that.

mountainman70 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2014, 02:51:11 AM »

Yo,Medbill,what size barrel-15/16,1" ?does this old feller have?I have an antique brass nosecap might be right for it.Dave

medbill · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2014, 03:18:44 AM »

It is actually 13/16ths...thanks....anyone familiar with that type of rifling?

mountainman70 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2014, 06:12:09 AM »

wow,my nosecap is for 1" er.That is some hole for a 13/16.Dave

JCKelly · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2014, 04:33:51 PM »

That "stout load" probably can still go BANG so be careful how you unload it. I've only unloaded shot so have no other wise suggestions.

I like your pictures just fine.

Sorry, never saw 5 groove rifling like that. Which only means Jim Kelly has not seen such before.

jdm · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2014, 04:59:12 PM »

Trigger guard is pretty neat. Rifle looks like it may have started out as a flint.

JCKelly · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2014, 10:10:33 PM »

Yes it does, jdm.
The lockplate has a plugged hole where the frizzen might have been, the stock is relieved behind the plate for a flint cock to pass by & rest on top of the plate. Plate held with 2 screws, when 1 + the drum (prevents lock plate from wanting to turn when cocked) is normally sufficient to keep the lock in place on a sporting percussion rifle.
Interesting rifle.

medbill · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2014, 07:47:18 AM »

You guys are good! I got around to cleaning up the face a little with some 0000 steel wool and oil and I can make out Tryon Philad with what I think is some flora decoration on the lock plate along with a double engraved board going around the plate. Also I think the lock plate was for sure was once a flintlock and will post some new pics tomorrow. Interesting rifle for sure and it just keeps getting more so. Barrel is out and pointed in a safe direction. I haven't had the time to mess with it and won't until I talk to a few muzzleloading gunsmiths. I might just let them mess with it and go over the gun to find out what they think of it as well. The triggerguard sure is interesting! Well at least a little bit of the mystery is being solved. Thanks guys!

Feltwad · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2014, 11:40:41 AM »

The two percussion double barrels I take it are shotguns would be interested in images of these especially if English
Feltwad

medbill · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2014, 06:03:19 PM »

Will try get some up today for you Feltwad and yes they are both shotguns. We finally have some sunshine so I am going to get another coat of finish on my stock and I'll take the old guns out for some better pictures.

jdm · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2014, 06:45:51 PM »

medbill'
Are there any marks on the barrel back by the breech ? maybe on none of the side flats.
JIM

medbill · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2014, 07:08:34 PM »

Hi Jim, nope no makings to speak of yet on the barrel, will give it a better cleaning today. Will also work on the lock some. The sun is finally shining and its beautiful out. Great day to work on guns outside!

medbill · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2014, 03:11:21 AM »

I know it Dave! Maybe when it was converted they freshed out the barrel more than a tad. I still have to mic it, sorry no pics today will work on it tomorrow.

Steve Collward · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2014, 01:04:41 AM »

medbill:
Nice looking piece and very nice trigger guard. I really like the color that the stock has taken on over the years. Are your planning on having the upper fore stock area restored and nose cap replaced? If so, look forward in seeing before and after photos.

medbill · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2014, 07:23:09 AM »

Hi Steve,

You know I would really like to and would love to return it to its original condition...well as original as we can get since at some point someone filed off the cheekpiece! Still I might get it restored if its not too costly. Sure would be nice to own an original American Flintlock. At the least get the stock and nose cap fixed. Sorry didn't get to work on it today at all. Tomorrow isn't looking good either but will post more pice when I can.

medbill · « **Reply #17 on:** June 22, 2014, 02:16:19 AM »

Got around to 0000 steel wool and oil on the steel today. No doubt at all this was once a flintlock and I even suspect this is a replacement barrel. Notice the two pin holes drilled along the stock, also on the inside you can see where the wood was inletted a little more forward than it is now. The lockplate has some floral engraving and borders remaining and is stamped Tryon Philad......I haven't seen a ton of originals but I have only seen rifling like this in guns from around the civil war days. Any thoughts on that? I like the way the trigger guard was filed a lot. I don't think the barrel is signed but will check it out with my magnifying glasses to see if there is anything there other than scratches and marks. It also has about a 13 1/2" lop, and the best measurement I can get on the bore is .525 while trying to measure straight across. I would love to get whatever load out that is still in it and find it has the projectile it was loaded with. Very curious to find out what is in there. Neat old gun for sure, any thoughts on when or where this was made?

Feltwad · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2014, 10:11:20 PM »

Medbill

What ever happened to the images of the two double barreled percussion shotguns
Feltwad

medbill · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2014, 10:44:07 PM »

Sorry will try to take some today...been too focused on this gun and a build I am doing.

jamesthomas · « **Reply #20 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:52:51 PM »

Any kind of up date for this rifle?. How about the shotguns?

News:

Author Topic: Antique gun's landed on my lap.....first the rifle... (Read 12006 times)

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

medbill

jamesthomas