D R SIEGFRIED Barrelled Half-stock .36

[Ky-Flinter]

I would welcome all comments and info on what I have here.  Where was the gun made?  What time period?  Anyone have info on D R SIEGFRIED?  Thanks.  -Ron

Walnut half-stock, with silver inlays and capbox and a poured pewter(?) nose cap.  The barrel has an integral bolster and is 26-3/4 inches long, 61/64 wide at the breech tapering to 59/64 at the muzzle, about .36 caliber.  The barrel is stamped D R SIEGFRIED on the bottom flat.  I can find no other markings on the other flats.  The lock is marked WARRANTED and has a link between the mainspring and the tumbler.  There may have been something stamped above the WARRANTED but I cannot make it out.  Double set triggers.

Check out the breech tang extension, the pin thru the butt pate into the toe plate and the copper patch on the barrel rib.

































Note the butt plate has a small pin that goes thru to the toe plate.



The tang was welded to the breech plug lug with an L shaped piece under it for support.



The rib has a small copper patch between the 2 ramrod pipes, mid-way between the fore-end cap and the muzzle..  It looks like a pipe may have been removed.  Any ideas on that?

[gunmaker]

D. Siegfried is listed in Kaufmans book page #343 as a barrel maker in Wernersville, PA  1850-60 and a J. who was a bbl maker as well. So maybe someone bought a bbl. and made it up around that period.     Tom

[smylee grouch]

It's been a few years since I've been there but the Davis gun museum in Clairmore, Oklahoma had several rifles very much like yours. If  you send them some info and photos they might be able to help you out.

[Shreckmeister]

Gives me a Western NY, upper PA feeling.  I would start looking there.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Perhaps the copper 'patch' was installed to tighten the ramrod in the pipes...keep it from falling out.

[eastwind]

Based on the overall profile, long tang, the patchbox design, trigger guard and a few other smaller details I think the rifle was made by Nelson Delaney, who worked in nearby Reading, PA in the same years as the Siegfried barrel makers - less than ten miles from Reading. Delaney was a prolific maker and one of the last gunsmiths to work in Berks County -  we find numerous examples of his work in Berks County, often with either John or Daniel Siegfried barrels.

Nice solid rifle ...

Patrick Hornberger

[Ky-Flinter]

Thank you all gentlemen, especially Patrick for the possible maker info.  I recently acquired this rifle, it's my first antique rifle.  I think I'm addicted.

Thanks Taylor,
Good thought on the patch but I don't think that's it.  The patch is set into the rib as a pipe would be, and it's surface is level with the rib and dished to match.  Maybe the builder originally installed only one pipe, then realized 2 were needed?

Thanks again all. 

If anyone has additional info or pictures of Nelson Delaney's work or of other rifles similar to mine, please post them.  Thanks.

-Ron