ALR Museum Gunsmith: G. W. Benson......Preston Co, W. VA

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

A very fine example , a half stock, of G.W. Benson of Preston Co, W. VA.

Here is the URL:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=6967.0

Please reply or comment here .
Hurricane

[longcruise]

A pretty rifle.  Does anyone have any more info on the flash guard (only name I could come up with) that lay under the drum.  Never saw one of those before but there are probably knowledgeable people here who are familiar with it.

[BGC]

Many rifles from the WV area have the flash guard under the drum. They were usually home made and made from brass or copper. A lot of gunsmiths apparently were concerned with wood burnout around the drum and nipple.


Concerning the comments under the pictures, little confusion here.  The picture in Whisker's book of the gunsmith sitting on his front porch. That is M.M. Benson. This rifle was made by George W. Benson. A cousin of M.M. Mostly followed the style of E.D. Benson.

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Does anyone know what the cheek piece inlay represents , if other than decoration?
Much of the decorative inlays on many rifles west of the eastern states seem to have many similar "free form" designs. Just wondering if there is an explanation???

[longcruise]

It looks to be a bird hanging upside down from a limb or a cloud or???

[BGC]

I don't think anyone really knows what that inlay is. It is pretty well used by the entire Benson family of gunsmiths.  I've heard it referred to as a tulip, a cornucopia or horn of plenty, a bird, a flower, etc.
I guess till a more definitive explanation can be found, your guess is a good as anyone else's.