Full stock percussion rifle

[haddockkl]

Turned this up from a neighbor who got it from his father's estste. It was purchased somewhere in northern Michigan but I have no idea where it originates. It has a 41.25in swamped barrel in about .53-.55cal, no cheek rest, and no signature I can discern. It has what looks like a brass trigger bar. The lock is a single notched tumbler percussion lock from Pennsylvania Rifle Works so it suggests that this is a utility grade pre 1860 rifle. If anyone has any idea where this piece originated, or other info it is appreciated.


 

 

[Hungry Horse]

This late period percussion gun is so generic that it would be hard to identify a source of manufacture. It looks like manufactured parts stocked up by a part time gunsmith to me.

  Hungry Horse

[haddockkl]

Agreed, I suspect it is a hardware store parts gun. The barrel is interesting though, it is an 8 groove, and is about 1.10 at the breech, .90 8in behind the muzzle and .95 at the muzzle.

[Levy]

I like the rifle.  It looks like the drum and nipple may have been replaced in more recent times.

James Levy

[haddockkl]

They are definitely new, the nipple is actually fractured because the sear spring doesn't sit right in its indexing slot in the plate, as a result it is more than a little touchy. To make matters worse, some primative gunsmiths answer to this was to pound on the iron screw, and effectively making it into a rivet. There is still some original case coloring on the tumbler and the inside of the lock is simple but remarkably clean so I don't plan on drilling the screw to repair the sear spring, but I may replace the drum yet again with a more correct style.... or just leave it as I found it.

[heinz]

It says "Pennsylvania Rifle Works" on the lock they were a bulk producer of inexpensive rifles in Philadelphia from 1833 to about 1870. There is a thread on this forum and a bit on the web. I think Kaufman may have something on them. Probably original with some repairs

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I think it's a nice looking rifle in very nice condition.  I'd be very happy to have it in my collection.

[Tanselman]

It's a nice looking ca. 1850 rifle in good condition. If the gun were a Pennsylvania Rifle Works gun, I would expect the barrel to carry the same stamp. Without that stamp on the barrel, I doubt it was made by Pennsylvania Rifle works. But since the gun has a PA marked lock, and a nice, triangular butt profile, I'd suggest it probably came from central PA. Too bad there is no trace of the maker's initials or a name stamp on the barrel a few inches behind the rear sight, since the gun is nicely made and in good condition. If you find any trace of a name on top of the barrel, let us know, since we can then probably figure out who made it. Shelby Gallien

[haddockkl]

Thanks, I'll lghtly burnish the barrel ans see if anything pokes through, I still have to pull the barrel out anyway.