Matt Avance - TVM Lancaster

[mab7]

I recently came into ownership of a Matt Avance rifle. A friend purchased it at auction, and once he had it home, discovered the LOP is well beyond his norm. Who ever had the rifle built was a big old boy! It was auctioned as a Lancaster and has features from both the early and late Lancaster. I am curious to try and see if it can be narrowed down if possible, and maybe a period time frame. So...who better to ask than the experts?!

It is 50 caliber, signed M Avance, with a 42" browned barrel. Very fast lock, extremely nice set triggers, LOP is 14 3/4" and the rear sight is 11" forward of the breech. Straight grain stock with no carving and the buttplate is 1 3/4" wide. The brass is plain and there is no engraving or other markings. It is a very well built, and accurate, rifle. The target was shot at 50 yards, using 75 grains of 2f and a ticking-patched 490 round ball.

[T*O*F]

I am curious to try and see if it can be narrowed down if possible, and maybe a period time frame.

TVM under Matt's ownership has been slightly less than 20 years and they built hundreds of guns identical to yours.  The quality of the signature is better than his early ones which could indicate that it was applied by Toni's son who started doing their engraving several years after they went into business.

[hanshi]

Mine is very similar as you can see.  Matt built it to my specifications and dimensions for a shorter, 36"bbl .45 with my lop; that makes it a custom rifle.  He also built for me an early Lancaster which is like no other early Lancaster you've seen.  He will build about anything you need within the styles
offered.

[Elnathan]

Regarding narrowing down a time frame for the rifle, are you asking when Matt made the gun, or what exact period an original resembling it might have been made? If the latter, Matt's work tends to be pretty generic and it is likely that "Lancaster" is as close as you will get.

[mab7]

I was wondering if I was missing some key indicator on the rifle that would differentiate between being an early or late Lancaster. From my extremely limited knowledge, with the emphasis on limited, the rifle has features of both, and Lancaster is certainly close enough for me, even from the perspective of period of time in history. Just trying to learn a little more as I go is all. Thanks for the responses folks - they are much appreciated!

[WadePatton]

I was wondering if I was missing some key indicator on the rifle that would differentiate between being an early or late Lancaster. From my extremely limited knowledge, with the emphasis on limited, the rifle has features of both, and Lancaster is certainly close enough for me, even from the perspective of period of time in history. Just trying to learn a little more as I go is all. Thanks for the responses folks - they are much appreciated!

I know nothing specific to Lancaster, but will hazard a guess that lock style may be a factor.  Most varieties of locks have "early" and "late" connotations.  Of course a well-used early gun, could have had a "late" replacement.

Or it could be architecture or hardware or bbl configuration... (maybe I larn me sumthin)  I'm going back to the bench.  

Well, here's a simple answer: http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=25632.0

[hanshi]

Htredneck, the rifle I posted is my favorite Late Lancaster and that is exactly what yours appears to be.  Nothing about it, IMHO, puts it in the early Lancaster era.  The early version has a flatter, wider butt plate and somewhat heavier mountings.  What you have is a well built, very accurate and very handsome rifle, a fine late Lancaster period build.

[Mike Brooks]

I associate "Late Lancaster" with folks like Fordney etc. This is not at all like a Fordney. Maybe it should be called a "Mid Lancaster".

[mab7]

I have some 'shirt-tail' relation that have my 5th G-Grandfather's rifle hanging on the wall in their living room and this one could almost be its twin. The only real difference is the length. Whoever had this rifle built was definitely a big old boy because it has a 14 3/4" LOP. In a light jacket, I can still handle it offhand, but a heavy jacket or coat is out of the question. That is my only complaint with the rifle. The target I posted was the result of the sun shining on the right side of the front sight blade. Without that, it is spot on. She is definitely a shooter!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You should be entering the postal match with targets like that.

[nosrettap1958]

They have always been great shooting rifles but rising only to the 'Not bad' category when representing period correctness. They use great components, barrels, locks and triggers offered at a decent price. No wonder their waiting list is so long.