Author Topic: Help identifying Virginia rifle  (Read 1306 times)

Offline Joe R

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Help identifying Virginia rifle
« on: December 09, 2022, 05:12:11 AM »
Well I have no idea if this was actually Virginia built rifle but a friend asked for help in identifying his grandfather's rifle. My friend's grandfather lived in Abingdon, VA and owned the rifle over 50 years ago. He said that Grandpa would pull the gun out and shoot it off the back porch back in the day at the house in town whenever there was a kid present. Grandma put an end to that when a piece of cap flew up and hit my friend as a youngster in the face. The rifle has a back action cap lock that looks original to the gun. There is a lot of wood putty around the nipple/drum area which I assume means it  had heavy use. The gun by rough measurement is about 32 caliber. I don't know if it is a repair or not but the forestock has two sections.

A name is stamped on top of the barrel but it is not easy to read. I looks like it starts out with G Mc but after that there is clearly a lower case i, which could be the rest of the name or it could be spelling "in" and then end with a place name.

Any help with the name, approximate date of construction or any other details would be greatly appreciated.


























Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2022, 05:32:31 AM »
Good mountain gun. Name looks like 'McInturff,' a recognized maker's name. Thank you for the photos. You will get some better comments from others on this Forum, with more knowledge than I can muster.
Dick

Offline Sequatchie Rifle

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2022, 05:43:16 AM »
The McInturff’s were a family of East Tennessee gunmakers.
"We fight not for glory, nor riches nor honors, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up except with his life.” Declaration of Arbroath, 1320

Offline GrizG

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2022, 05:44:24 AM »
There is a Tukee in AZ... ;)

Mcintukee? Mcinturff?


Offline Tanselman

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2022, 05:50:26 AM »
The stamped signature is virtually identical to the illustrated signature on a curly maple stocked Gabriel McInturff rifle shown in Jerry Noble's "Notes on Southern Longrifles Vol. 3. Gabriel S. McInturff was born in Washington Co., TN in 1805, and worked there as a gunsmith where he was recorded in 1838 as a road-overseer, according to Jerry Noble's research in Vol. I. The area later became Unicoi County.

Shelby Gallien

Offline Cades Cove Fiddler

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2022, 03:42:59 PM »
 ;) ;) ...Ain't no Virginny rifle at all,... !!!! .....  was made by old Gabe McInturff down near Erwin,... !!! ...  The two books by Dave Byrd have several McInturff rifles shown, plus much information on their rifles and gun work .... a lot of McInturff family information also given,... they were one of the most prolific gun building families of Unicoi Co. Tennessee,.. built excellent rifles,... Joe R. .....I am sending you a PM,... regards Cades Cove Fiddler,...

Offline Jacob_S_P

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Re: Help identifying Virginia rifle
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2022, 04:23:43 PM »
I haven't been able to sign in comment for a while, so I didn't  get to comment earlier, but the only thing I have to add is that in all the VA/SW VA specific rifles, I have yet to see one with the Cigar shaped patchbox- not saying they didn't exist.
The other thing I would mention is that at this point I would say a majority of us have heard some skewed oral history of some of these rifles that is sometimes entertaining.  ;)
A good rule of thumb is to ask others and use logic, thanks for posting pics of a great example of what it IS!