Looking for some information.

[BarryE]

I got to look at this piece owned by a friend.  He has no information on the maker and I have no knowledge of this maker.  Is there anyone who might have an idea on him?

[Mike Brooks]

Two signatures?

[BarryE]

Yeah Mike, stamped and signed ( M. Shultz on both). Unusual!

[BarryE]

My bad, I think it’s W not M.

[Avlrc]

There was a William Shultz in Iowa. But looks like an H. to me.  A Henry Shultz in Pennsylvania.  That is who I figure made it. The carving looks almost too good, but maybe because someone shined it up

[wormey]

That looks like a Rowan County North Carolina patchbox made by Isaac Ribelin.  To my knowledge there is no such thing as a swivel breech Rowan County North Carolina longrifle.  Also one of the barrels looks like it has 7 groove rifling and the other looks like it has 8 grooves.  Lots of strange things here, i.e., two very different signatures.....Wormey

[Eric Kettenburg]

Something is really weird here.  The piece looks like it's got some age on it but there are a lot of very strange aspects that don't mesh. 

It looks like a 'parts gun' built up in the 1940s or 50s and actually used, or a piece that was glitzed up with additions and refinished.  A bunch of those lock parts don't look very old either.

I can't be the only one thinking this?

[OLUT]

There was a gunsmith & stonemason in Lebanon County, Pa that MIGHT have built this gun. (It's out of my field as I collect percussion over under guns and I am awaiting Dr Paton's insightful comments).  I wish I could handle this interesting firearm to give a better overview. The gun appears to be a "full stock" versus the typical wood paneled swivel breech . Two different riflings in the barrels is not uncommon. I bet that one is straight rifled and the other is twist.

[JTR]

My first thought was that it's modern.
My second thought is modern made with some old parts.
The third, that's its antique with modern enhancements.
I agree with OLUT on the rifling.

[Hungry Horse]

 I’m thinking this is an old gun with a modern restock. The carving, and the inlays just don’t show enough wear. I also think some of the missing parts were replaced. It would be interesting to find out if that eight grooved barrel is twist rifling, or straight.

Hungry Horse

[Bill Paton]

My first thoughts mirror Eric’s very strongly.  I’ll list a few, and am not claiming absolute cast-in-stone ideas. OLUT and John are also on point. I would really like to examine this interesting enigma rifle in hand.

1) Seems to be a much used stock with too recent unworn-looking carving.
2) I bet the larger 8 grooved bore is straight rifled, as mentioned, and the 7 grooved bore is twist rifled.
3) I suspect the barrels are mis-matched old barrels living a second life in this possibly mid 20th Century “antiqued" stock.
4) I wonder if the scrip-signed barrel was stamped with the same name in the re-working period by a re-builder wanting to               clarify the original maker.
5) The extremely short back action lock is VERY unusual. I want to see its innards. The shorter-than-usual mainspring might be rounded with a really large radius (possibly old) and not a “V” mainspring, or a (choke) modern coil spring one.
6) The flat cock combined with a rounded pan makes me think incorrect reconversion at least, but the butchered groove in the                             stock above the lock for relief of the cock-arrest shoulder makes me wonder about “retroversion”, meaning turning                             an originally percussion-made gun into a fraudulent flintlock. Please post a photo of the top front of the lock from above with the cock at full cock to show where the cock arrest shoulder rests on the top of the lock when fired.
7) The “lock screw” doesn’t seem to line up between the lock and side plate, making me wonder if the heads represent wood screws. I really want to see the inside of that lock!
8   The trigger guard bow has a soldered front “trigger-like” extension like David Boyer of Orwigsburg made on some of his percussion swivels, but the grip rail looks later than flintlock era and maybe is mis-matched brass.
9)  I really like the patch box with its "asymmetrical symmetry" of the side plate piercings and its engraving.

Summary: I suspect this is a composite rifle with some old and some new parts and an “aged” 20th C stocking, or a 19th C stocking with 20th C carving.  May we see the inside of that interesting lock? And I would like to read other opinions as well.

[BarryE]

I don’t have access to the piece currently.  I am by no means an expert on antique arms, but I did manage to find a rifle for auction from Shultz.  Though very grainy, the cheekpiece carving appears similar.

[OLUT]

I don’t have access to the piece currently.  I am by no means an expert on antique arms, but I did manage to find a rifle for auction from Shultz.  Though very grainy, the cheekpiece carving appears similar.

If you want "the real skinny" on this firearm, please have your friend get the photos that Bill Paton requested; he is THE authority on flint swivel breech guns! Based on your last note, I actually was able to find a percussion single barrel Shultz gun that I think you allude to. It's a shame that the auction house did not include a photo of the maker stamp for comparison to your friend's gun. Again, I'm out of my league on this type of gun, so others can draw conclusions from the comparison.

[JTR]

For those not familiar with Bill's comment re a large radius main spring, comment #5 on his post.
Here is the inner lock plate works from a swivel breech rifle by Nicolas Hawk that clearly shows what a large radius main spring looks like.
 

[BarryE]

My thanks to all who commented.