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Author Topic: Whitworth Sporting Rifle  (Read 932 times)

Offline Leather Creek

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Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« on: November 28, 2023, 11:12:38 PM »
Where would I start to gather information on an original Whitworth Sporting Rifle?  .451 Caliber.  Hexagonal bore.  Traditional lock.  Maybe made in the late 1850's.  Not a military rifle.

Thanks.
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Offline Seth Isaacson

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2023, 12:13:59 AM »
Which style? There were full-stock "military match" style rifles and half-stock match target rifles. The Confederacy almost always gets mentioned on these due to their use by some Confederate sharpshooters, but most examples today were match rifles:


https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/86/253/whitworth-.451-military-match-presentation-prize-rifle


https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/84/392/whitworth-percussion-match-target-rifle

ResearchPress has some good articles on them:
http://www.researchpress.co.uk/firearms/gunmakers/whitworth
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Offline Leather Creek

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2023, 12:54:50 AM »
This one is civilian model.  A hunting rifle.  Half stock. Horn forend cap.  3 blade rear sight on barrel. One blade for 100, one for 200, and a ladder sight for the rest.  Steel shotgun style butt plate.  Round steel patch box.  Nice engraving on patch box, lock plate, and top of the breach.  It is a take down with a hook breach.

I can do pictures soon.
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Offline Mattox Forge

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2023, 02:41:39 AM »
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Offline Leather Creek

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2023, 10:49:00 PM »





Here's a picture.  Not military.  Not really a target gun.  Hunting rifle I think.
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Offline snapper

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2023, 11:02:54 PM »
Looks great.

Does it have a ramrod?    If no ramrod, target rifle.

Fleener
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Offline Leather Creek

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Re: Whitworth Sporting Rifle
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2023, 01:30:12 AM »
Ram rod in case.  Not stored under barrel.



Leaf sights on barrel, no accommodation for tang sights.  Little bitty barley corn front sight.
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