New York Perch Belly Rifles

[cgm]

I recently acquired an antique percussion rifle barrel marked R.B Moode. Cincinnatus, NY.  It's about .38 caliber and the rifling is in fair shape, perhaps requiring some freshing out.  The rifling is distinct enough to grab a patch and spins about once in 40 inches.  The barrel is 30 1/2 inches long and is a bit over 1 1/16 at the breech, tapering to a bit under 15/16 at the muzzle.  I haven't attempted to remove the drum or breech.  The wd-40 I soaked the inside with took about a day to show up on the threads outside of the breech plug threads.

I suspect this barrel is all that remains of a New York perch belly rifle.  I saw a nice one at a show here about two years ago, but don't know who had it.  I also haven't seen any pictures of one in a while.

Someday, I plan on making a rifle out of this barrel.  Does anyone have pictures of New York percussion rifles or information on the barrel maker?

Clayton

[Curt J]

Are you real sure about that spelling? The only gunsmith known to have worked in Cincinnatus, New York, was Rensselaer R. Moore, which sounds like too good a match to be coincidence.  He stamped his rifles "R. R. MOORE CINCINATTUS NY". He worked in Cincinnatus circa 1837 - 1866. In mid-year 1866 he moved to Cortland, New York, where he continued in business until his death in 1877. Rifles made in Cortland are stamped "R. R. MOORE CORTLAND NY". Many of his rifles are serial numbered. Many also have an eagle stamped after his name and address.

R. R. Moore was born in New York in 1821 or 1822, and claimed in 1855 that he had lived in Cincinnatus his entire life. He died in Cortland, N Y , on January 11, 1877.

R. R. Moore was by no means a crude country blacksmith/gunsmith. He made extremely high quality rifles, including some very complex long range target rifles with false muzzles and guide bullet starters. Many of these were equipped with a full length scope of Moore's own manufacture. He also made double and three barreled rifles and rifle/shotgun combinations.

There are 19 pages devoted to R. R. Moore and his work, in THE NEW YORK STATE FIREARMS TRADE, Vol 3 by H. J. Swinney/ Tom Rowe. These include beautiful photographs of nine different rifles.

[cgm]

Thanks for the information.

The name may well have been R.R. Moore instead of R.B. Moode since rust has somewhat obscured the name.  The town is distinct.  There is an eagle following the name and town.

I'll try to locate the text with his rifles.  Much of my family is from this part of New York, and may have been shooting Moore rifles 150 years ago.

Although I love flintlocks, I think this would be an interesting project and one that isn't often reproduced.

Clayton