I'd like to follow up on Ian Pratt's comments regarding this gun and a possible connection to guns made by Pleasant Wilson in Kentucky.
The similarities in details on this rifle to those on the several known Pleasant Wilson rifles are striking. The tang shape, toe plate, trigger guard shape and filing, etc. all strongly resemble the work of Wilson, including the tang bolt anchoring into the bow of the guard. Wilson worked in Clay County, Kentucky in the southeastern hill country, where Tennessee influences were prevelent. However, Wilson's roots were in North Carolina, but he would have been influenced by the Tennessee influences in his area of KY. I can't help but believe this rifle is associated in some manner with Pleasant Wilson.
There are a couple of key differences, including the triggers which are not in Wilson's style, and the side facings which also vary from Wilson's work. His side facings had a soft point on the front end, while this gun has a rounded nose. All 3 known Wilson rifles have the pointed side facings. Many of the triggers found on southeastern KY guns are handmade, since "store bought" parts were rare due to a lack of money to purchase them - most commerce in that area of KY was done heavily on the barter system - hence parts were often handmade well into the late 1800s, including barrels, triggers and some locks. These triggers don't look like Wilson's handmade triggers. Wilson used mixed metal on his rifles, with forged iron guards and butt plates, and sheet brass smaller parts such as pipes and nose caps.
Wilson began working in Clay Co. about 1816, and was still there in 1835. Sometime between 1835 and 1850, and most likely in the mid-1840s when others from his area of KY were migrating west, he moved to Missouri. His son was a gunsmith, but was too young to make this gun. We do not know if Wilson's father was a gunsmith, and there is no record of it, but the possibility exists that he was. Interestingly, his first name was Phillip, so if he was a gunsmith, his name stamp would also be "P. Wilson." Also interesting is the fact that there are two known "P. Wilson" barrel stamps, one with slightly larger letters than the other, but otherwise very similar in style. Perhaps this is getting too speculative, but at least the possibility exists for two P. Wilsons.
Regardless, this rifle has many similarities to the known Wilson rifles, which tends to suggest the gun was made in southeastern KY close to where P. Wilson worked. He apparently had a couple of apprentices, but their names are unknown. Regardless of all this, it's a nice looking rifle with interesting "southern" details. I have a suspicion that the cock is not correct for this lock, too early in my opinion, which may throw off the dating. It would be nice to see the lock mortise with the current lock out of the gun, to make sure it is the original plate. One final point regarding another posted response. All Wilson rifles had well filed and finished hardware, both iron and brass parts. This rifle has been in a barn or other humid place where its iron mountings could rust/rough up, pehaps hiding the original filed surface and fine workmanship on better rifles from this southeastern area of KY. This is a good rifle to see, and to discuss. Shelby Gallien
