Picket Rifle Thoughts?

[Buffalochip]

The bottom of the barrel is stamped FULTON in cap letters, the lock is marked RB in a scroll. No other marks. The barrel is 34", ~13 lbs., .43 cal. 6 land/grooves, stock is curly maple with cheek rests on both sides. Rifling is still very strong, no false muzzle, came with its own Picket bullet mold, muzzle rest, bullet started, and primitive peep sight. The sight hood and rear sights are of later vintage. Very old paperwork accompanying the gun says it was "Paps gun" purchased from a man by the name of Conrad Beiber (or maybe it was Bieber) in Canal Fulton, Ohio. No dates are given, although I was told the gun was used in national muzzleloading meets until the 1970s and I'm sure it is competition worthy even today.

I'm thinking that with its crescent butt, picket mold, lack of a false muzzle, and medium to light weight for a target rifle that it was probably made in the 1850 to 1870 era.

A reviewer on another website offered this info:
"I am 99.99% certain your rifle was made by Philip Schantz in Lawrence Twp, OH or Canal Fulton, OH, probably around 1850. It is quite distinctive in style. I have a rifle made by Schantz that looks almost exactly like yours..."

Any ideas?

[alyce-james]

Interesting gun and topic. Thanks for posting. AJ

[smokinbuck]

Buffalo,
I have a rifle with the same lock on it. I think your dating is correct and the maker, Schantz, may be correct but I find it strange that a "picket" rifle doesn't have a false muzzle. Are you certain that the mold you have is for this rifle?
Mark

[heinz]

I have an Ohio rifle made by Giffiths and Siebert in 1848.  MY rifle shoots a 40 cal picket bullet but does have a recessed ring around the muzzle for a bullet starter.  This bullet starter, while not exactly a false muzzle, is very important to starting the sugar loaf or picket bullets in correct alignment with the bore.  The bullet starter that came with yours may fit around the mzzle closely and have a a recess on the business end to match your bullet.  Cannot tell from the pictures.

The "Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle" by Roberts has some info on these rifles.
I believe target rifles often had both a false muzzle and a bullet starter. 
Yours is a fine looking rifle.

Mine is clearly a hunting rifle with no provision far a false muzzle, although it weighs just shy of 14 pounds with its 1 1/8 inch octagonal barrel.  Fortunately mine handles a round ball quite well with a healthy load (65 grains)

[Buffalochip]

I have an Ohio rifle made by Giffiths and Siebert in 1848.  MY rifle shoots a 40 cal picket bullet but does have a recessed ring around the muzzle for a bullet starter.  This bullet starter, while not exactly a false muzzle, is very important to starting the sugar loaf or picket bullets in correct alignment with the bore.  Fortunately mine handles a round ball quite well with a healthy load (65 grains)

The "Muzzle Loading Caplock Rifle" by Roberts has some info on these rifles.

Yours is a fine looking rifle.

Thanks for your reply. This gun does have a bullet starter, but instead of a recessed ring, the bullet starter has a recess that fits over the barrel, aligning it correctly, and the the picket bullet fits the rammer recess nicely. I figured it was just an early picket rifle produced before the false muzzle was commonplace, which is why I think it might be as early as 1850, if not a tad earlier.

[Buffalochip]

Buffalo,
I have a rifle with the same lock on it. I think your dating is correct and the maker, Schantz, may be correct but I find it strange that a "picket" rifle doesn't have a false muzzle. Are you certain that the mold you have is for this rifle?
Mark

My understanding is that the early picket rifles didn't have a false muzzle--this on has a custom bullet starter with an octagon recess that fits over the barrel.

[JCKelly]

There are lots of Michigan percussion rifles with the muzzle turned for a starter  - NOT a false muzzle - so that a pickett ball may be used. Some ramrods have a brass tip just bore diameter, with a conical recess, to seat a pickett ball. The twist should be a little faster than what is seen with round ball.

Personally never haved shot a pickett ball, think I might go screaming mad trying to load it straight. That's just me. For them what can load it, the pickett/sugar loaf is accurate at longer ranges than is the round ball.

False muzzle supposed to have been invented by Alvan Clark, Massachusetts, 1845. Meant that guys like me  could load a pickett ball without having a breakdown. His patent did get infringed a bit.   

[Dphariss]

Buffalo,
I have a rifle with the same lock on it. I think your dating is correct and the maker, Schantz, may be correct but I find it strange that a "picket" rifle doesn't have a false muzzle. Are you certain that the mold you have is for this rifle?
Mark

My understanding is that the early picket rifles didn't have a false muzzle--this on has a custom bullet starter with an octagon recess that fits over the barrel.

The guide starter is more common than the false muzzle on picket rifles. The false muzzle is far more time consuming to make.

Dan

[JCKelly]

Neglected to engage brain. The pickett ball came into use about 1835 in America. Alvan Clark, Cambridge, Mass patented the false muzzle in 1840. See Ned Roberts.