New England rifle

[rich pierce]

I bought this here.
Full stocked in cherry, with a lock that was initially a flintlock, this rifle has a .54 caliber 30” barrel with micro groove rifling. The barrel tapers from 1.100” to 0.900” across the flats. The furniture appears to be nickel plated. The patchbox has been missing its hinge for some time. The buttplate seems magnetic under the plating.

I’d love to hear comments about where and when it was made, and what changes seem to have been made since it was first built. Please note the style of guard, with the forward extension, the wrist escutcheon, wire inlay, engraving style on toeplate, hooked breech, and toeplate.

My generally uneducated guess on the gun is that it was built in the 1820s as a flintlock and not nickel plated. Then it was used for a long time and was converted to percussion. The sights may have been changed during its use period. I was surprised it’s a full stock. The interrupted wire inlay below the cheekpiece suggests some damage, refinishing, or possibly re-shaping of the cheekpiece to me. 

Please discuss!

[WESTbury]

Rich,

I wish that there was more published material on these great N.E. Rifles. All we have is the Merril Lindsey's book, one article in Man at Arms many years ago, and a presentation to the ASAC, again many years ago.

Your nice rifle has all the classic components and the wood looks to be in great shape with sharp edges on the lock panel. i noticed that the initialed wrist plate has an unusual shape for new England rifles, most were oval. But there is a N.E. Rifle in Lindsey's book with a somewhat similar profile. The furniture on that rifle is plated as well. Looking at the lockplate style, I think your 1820 time frame is possible. The radiating lines on the barrel tang and lock side screws are great. This rifle looks to have a little higher end than most of the rifles made for N.E. Militia units. Most of these were made within a 50 mile radius of Worcester.

I'm wondering if the barrel may have been a little longer as 30" is unusual from what I can determine.

Hopefully, Joe Puleo will weigh in here. He knows much more about these than most.

I'll keep digging and thanks for letting us see your rifle.

Kent 

[Shreckmeister]

Worcester is where I would say was it’s origin. Allen, Mason etc. nice piece

[rich pierce]

I’m thinking this would have made a good “going west” rifle. Compact, good sized bore.

[vanu]

I would say Allen and original plating...nice rifle

[lexington1]

That's a nice New England rifle. I don't know what to make of the cheekpiece. I like NE rifles quite a bit, but really don't know much about them. Beside the sources Kent mentioned, a couple other books are Arms Makers of Mass., by by Whisker and Spiker and Mass. Military Shoulder Arms by George Moller. The Whisker book lists and dates a lot of NE makers, but doesn't really help you to ID your rifle. The Mass. Military book talks briefly about the militia rifles. I wish that there was more information available. One of the first originals I acquired was in the late 70's and until that time I had never seen a horsehead patchbox and had to have it.

[JV Puleo]

I really like it...
I think it's been cut down about 8" which isn't all that unusual.

Are you sure it's nickel plate? Might it be silver? (though I think it would have tarnished). Nickel plating wasn't developed until after the Civil War though, not coincidentally, the company that originally did it was in Boston. Springfield sent them some trapdoor to plate as an experimental "non rusting" finish and they did the S&W Americans that the Army bought.

I'm sure its a Worcester County rifle but I'm equally convinced that attributing it to a specific maker is virtually impossible if it isn't signed.

[rich pierce]

Thanks, I’m not sure what it’s plated with or how. I was just making a guess as it’s clearly not yellowish like German silver. I agree it must have been shortened as it’s just odd to have just an entry thimble and one more. Nicely done though.

[WESTbury]

Shortened, plated, whatever, it is a nice looking rifle.

[JV Puleo]

The changes don't bother me at all. It shows that it was appreciated for a long time - as does the otherwise very good condition. I had a similar rifle many years ago, the virtual twin of a Henry Pratt I still have but shortened, converted and bored out to about .080.