William N. Beals. Born 1822 in Tn. In Unicoi County 1850-1870. Marked "W.N.B."
Overall length: 62"
Barrel length: 46"
.40 Cal
Long tang!
Page 45 in Jerry Nobles' "Notes on Southern Long Rifles Vol 4".
Comments:
This is an out standing TN rifle stocked in premium maple. Just as good as it gets! Nice to see maple used since many of us are conditioned to seeing walnut used much of the time.
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One of the things I appreciate about Beals is that he seems to have signed much of his work, usually 'WNB."
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A nice example of Beals' work with the banana patchbox, long tang, TN style guard and butt plate with extended top extension .... but this rifle makes me question if it was ever flint. The single bolt lock bolt washer, and what appears to be a "slabbed in" new side facing where the lock sits, raises questions in my mind. Still a nice rifle, but unless everyone thinks it is an original flint, perhaps it needs a precautionary comment about its original mode of ignition.
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Yes, it's pretty clear that the lock is a replacement.
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Original flintlock deep South rifles sometime had just one lock bolt. I have seen a single lock bolt on early, as well as late, flint-period Southern rifles.
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I agree with you on the single bolt late flint guns, and perhaps an earlier one here or there. This rifle appears to have been percussion prior to this lock, based among other things on the pitting and erosion between the flash hole and breech. If we ignore the current lock and go by the rest of the gun, then with your experience in southern guns, do you think this particular rifle was originally flint, or percussion, or impossible to tell? So as to not to put you on the spot all by yourself, I think we'll never know, but I'd bet on percussion.
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This is an out standing TN rifle stocked in premium maple. Just as good as it gets! Nice to see maple used since many of us are conditioned to seeing walnut used much of the time.
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One of the things I appreciate about Beals is that he seems to have signed much of his work, usually 'WNB."
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Nice rifle, however, appears to have lock mortise area "veneered" for replaced lock. Also touch hole does not line up with center of pan & has replaced top jaw/screw.
