One more kick on the dead horse of restoration/fakery

[mr. no gold]

rim, and others, just got off the phone with Mike D'Ambra regarding the subject of the Oerter/Griffin rifle. Mike said that Jack Brooks crafted all externals for the original lock plate to fit standards of the time and based on what information was available on the lock itself. The drum hole was closed and the touch hole established. He did not make a separate flint set up for display and the lock plate on the gun is the original. This idea may go back to the late great Keith Neubauer who reconverted a fabulous silver David Morton gun. In order to preserve the 'as found' appearance of the rifle, he did make a duplicate plate with flintlock externals which could be mounted in place of the converted original. Worked out very well. As to the work Jack Brooks did on the Oerter gun, Eric described it perfectly; fantastic! To verify this post you are invited to contact Mike and/or Jack who I am sure will be happy to discuss this matter with you.
Dick
 

[rlm]

Mr No Gold, I stand corrected. Apparently my recollection is in error.

[mr. no gold]

You know, rim, your concept of the conversion would have made perfect sense! That would have been an ideal way to have your cake and eat it, too. Had the gun been mine I think that would have been the way to go if reconversion was the goal. Mike lives only a short distance from me and I have seen the gun in its 'found' form many times and it looked darn good as it was. My preference would have been to leave it alone. Thanks for your comments.
Dick