I do not recall seeing this style guard on a WV rifle. It's a "different" guard based on the spur coming off the bow so far back, at or just behind where the bow meets/intersects with the finger rail, plus the rear spur is so sharply angled rather than a softer curve. In an effort to educate all of us here, would one of the responders who thinks the gun is from WV provide a reason for leaning that way. It's helpful to understand the reasoning behind an opinion so we know how it was arrived at, rather than it being "just an opinion." What specific details make this rifle look like a WV gun to you???
Shelby Gallien
I appreciate the sentiment. I've tried to learn about long rifles being here, and have read a LOT in the past year or two, have lots of books on them. Identification should be based on logic, facts, and criteria. Not hunches, unless based on features. If the features support the hypothesis, then they should be stated. Some authors (books or here) do that, others do not, but both are going from their valuable experience. Yet it's hard to learn if they don't say WHY some rifle is from somewhere. When I'm offered a proposed region, I then go out and research it to corroborate it. Sometimes I find nothing that confirms the statement, or even things that contradict it. I try to politely bring those back here for comment.
Because I'm an engineer by training I like to logically look at the whole rifle, the sum of it's parts, not one piece. I've heard so far about 5-6 states mentioned, from OH, Indiana, NC, TN, VA, WVA (part of VA when this rifle was likely made), Alabama, a few others. The Midwestern's were eliminated early after I asked some probing questions. Basing everything on just one feature can throw you off...what if the trigger guard was replaced, for example? Lots of people broadly say "it's architecture looks XYZ" But WHAT are they seeing? Not explained.
By looking at all the features, is there more that point to one region? Where would you place each of these features, generally? My attempt:
Long tang filed into an "almost lollipop or dolls head" -
Strongly Southern Mountains
Long barrel - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
Plain wood, maple - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
English converted flintlock - Common on Southern Rifles
Iron buttplate, hand forged - Typically Southern Mountains, but not exclusively
Iron trigger guard, hand forged - Typically Southern Mountains, but not exclusively
Trigger guard attached into bottom of rifle with wood screws, no screw through tang into trigger plate - Typically Southern
No brass patch box - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
No nose cap - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
iron thimbles and ramrod entry thimble - ?
Straight comb, deep curved butt - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
Holston cheekpiece - Sometimes Southern or Mountains, but not exclusively
Steep comb rise from wrist - ?
Long, narrow wrist - Somewhat Southern or Southern Mountains
So to me, it has more Southern features than features from any other region. Right? someone comment if any of the above are wrong.
Iron spurred triggerguard - Not seen too often on Appalachian school, but do see on some from the Piedmont that are spurred, and some are iron. Here is one
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=54449.0
