Nessmuk's Rifle

[Nit Wit]

I was going through books I have had for quite some time. I found Canoeing the Adirondacks with Nessmuck. Nessmuck was the pen name of George Washington Sears. His photo is on the cover holding an over under muzzle loader. I did a doubletake, I have that gun or one just like it. A few years ago it came up on Track Of The wolf and I paid the long dollar and bought it. It was built by R C Wood, the back action lock is marked Warren& Steele. The rifle barrel on top is .38 cal and the shotgun barrel is .58 cal.
Nit Wit

[Longknife]

WELL LETS SE SOME PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OLUT]

I guess this gun is OK for discussion on this forum as it has a back action lock as well as the forbidden under hammer lock...... I, too, would like to see photos, especially of the lock and of any patchbox.  Almost all the correct, original locks used in Barry Wood's guns are either unmarked or are prominently stamped on two lines "B.C.Wood  P. Post N.Y.".  Swinney's book makes a pretty compelling argument that Wood made his own back action locks and did not source commercial locks. I concur with him after study of my 5 Wood over under guns and many other samples in the past. Note that I have seen several really poor guns that have been put together by Bubba and advertised as correct B. C. WOOD specimens; the worst was an obvious attempt to make a bottom hammer out of a gun that actually once had two back action locks that Morphy's auctioned back in 2015 ...... ( MORAL: hands-on inspection of auction lots greatly reduces the risk of being mislead)

[Nit Wit]

I really don't have the smarts to post pictures. I also realize that a gun can change in 150 or so years.The name is about all I can make out on the barrel. I just thought it was neat to see an identical rifle on the cover of a book>
Nit Wit

[OLUT]

Nit Wit, you peaked my interest on this gun. I pulled up a copy of this book on the internet and checked out the image on the cover. I wish that it showed more detail. As I primarily collect percussion over under guns, it is very interesting to me. The gun is similar to B. C. WOOD's guns, but the drop of the comb on the buttstock and, from what I can make of the image, the breakoff is not typical of him (or the 5 other makers of these type underhammer guns that I have). If anybody knows the maker of this gun or has better images, I would be extremely interested in seeing them! The author lived in Wellsboro, Pa., but I do not know of any gunmakers in that area who made this type of combination gun. For information, in upstate NY, percussion over under combination guns are often called "Adirondack rifles". I also just ordered a copy of the book as it looks like "a good read".

[Nit Wit]

Nessmuck was famous in the Adirondacks, originally from Massachusetts, then moved to PA. Seems to me he could have one of woods rifle, also Mine is marked B C Woods, hard to read( magnifying glass), both bores are still good and I have shot it.
Nit Wit