Author Topic: souther mountain rifle parts on Ebay (Read 23678 times)

Dave B · « **on:** October 12, 2013, 05:31:21 PM »

ran across this collection of south Carolina poorboy parts on E-bay its worth checking out. Great photos for reference. I like the riveted front extension lug on the trigger guard, How bout that long tang with the slight teardrop end. Hope some one gets all the parts for a complete restoration.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/odhainwisconsin/m.html?item=141086776680&pt=Vintage_Hunting&hash=item20d96d5d68&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562I

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2013, 09:38:04 PM »

I've seen people parting out a TC or a CVA, but an antique?!?!? SACRILEGE!

-Ron

E.vonAschwege · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2013, 09:49:50 PM »

Seeing originals parted out on Ebay makes me really angry.... I very much like the lines and details on that piece, we'll see how high it goes. Thanks for sharing.

T.C.Albert · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2013, 10:00:46 PM »

How many original southern mountain rifle trigger guards were pinned? I honestly thought
most were screwed on. tca

mountainman70 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 12, 2013, 10:36:12 PM »

Quote from: Ky-Flinter on October 12, 2013, 09:38:04 PM

I've seen people parting out a TC or a CVA, but an antique?!?!? SACRILEGE!

-Ron

I dont know whether to bid on em,or print it out and burn it.I am with y'all,the store bought stuff is hard to deal with,but this poor ol feller needs a loving home and restored,or at least stabilized.Geez,I dont want to think about what next!!!Dave

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2013, 12:11:34 AM »

Based on the triggers and style of TG I suspect its a TN made rifle or western NC but the round extensions on the tg are normally TN. Lines look similiar to a Robert Hughes which is western NC.

If you wanted to practice your restoration skills that stock would be a good one to work on!

Ron, Eric, I suspect he did it to get around Ebay's no gun policy, probably hopes someone will buy all the parts and put it back together. He probably picked it up at an estate sale and just wants to move it on.
Dennis

E.vonAschwege · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2013, 12:42:33 AM »

Quote from: Dennis Glazener on October 13, 2013, 12:11:34 AM

Ron, Eric, I suspect he did it to get around Ebay's no gun policy, probably hopes someone will buy all the parts and put it back together. He probably picked it up at an estate sale and just wants to move it on.
Dennis

I imagine you are correct Dennis, a lot of folks who aren't educated in the matter see antique gun related materials and think $$$. I doubt the sellers who part out antiques on ebay have much consideration for historical values of items like this. I like the piece a lot but probably don't have the money to bid on it at the moment. The stock doesn't need too much, just some good wood repair underneath the lock.

mountainman70 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2013, 03:40:55 AM »

Have y'all watched this auction?it is interesting ,to say the least.I hope one bidder gets it all,and re assembles Ol Bubbie.Dave

WadePatton · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2013, 03:58:01 AM »

I gave him a little not-quite-nasty-but-not-chummy message.

Yeah. I can fix that!

well, maybe not that lock. i notice that the stock/bbl high bidder has zero bids on the trigger and guard. divided they fall.

Avlrc · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2013, 04:04:11 AM »

I see on his barrel auction,( Q&A) that someone told him the rifle was made by William Rice from TN.

Avlrc · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2013, 04:08:52 AM »

A few of you fellows should bid on one different part, then all get together at some gun show and put it together.

Then auction it off, or take turns hanging it on your walls.

mountainman70 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2013, 05:20:24 AM »

The auto bids are really loaded.I tried for the tguard,autobid beat me quickly.Hope 1 person gets it all.Dave

ODHAinWI · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2013, 06:30:59 AM »

What do any of you think this complete rifle in its present "relic" condition would bring at live gun auction? Some projects are worth saving and other's not so much. What if someone else has a William Rice rifle and they are missing the original guard or triggers? Would not these parts be the closest thing to OEM? More rare and unusual gun parts turn up on Ebay than in any other market place. Over 1500 people who are interested in long rifles have viewed those Tennessee rifle parts listings in 6 days. They generated this thread didn't they? I know of a guy who had two Dr Lucie/Scagel knife sheaths that came from a flea market. Those sheaths were reunited with the owner of the actual knives who bought them at a live auction. The auction house had discarded the sheaths, and a picker found them. Don't be too hard on the seller, maybe he's a long rifle enthusiast who simply needs the cash to fund a different restoration project.

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2013, 07:34:35 AM »

ODHAinWI,

Did you even try to sell the rifle in tact on this site? One of us would probably have given you as much as you are going to get for the parts. I am currently bidding on all the parts even though I really can't afford it. I just can't stand to think that a perfectly good rifle could be broken up for parts.

E.vonAschwege · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2013, 08:43:28 AM »

I fail to see ANY similarity between the southern gun auction and the knife sheath story. Breaking up a virtually complete rifle in order to have parts for other incomplete rifles is NOT the same as reuniting two sheaths with their original knives. Is this a high dollar golden age rifle, no... but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be treated with the same respect. The southern rifle could have been placed on gunbroker, auctionarms, or even in the for sale section here if it is your listing, and kept intact for future owners. I don't think a longrifle enthusiast would separate a piece of history in order to fund a different restoration project. Regardless of trying to make a buck, it's a lousy thing for an intact historical artifact to go through. My bet is that it could have been sold for more intact elsewhere than the pieces will fetch on Ebay.

All of what happens to these things is up to the current owners I suppose, they can do what they please. Whether they survive for the next generation to study is up to us, we're merely temporary caretakers at best.

cmac · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2013, 12:24:28 PM »

Wow! That's a shame. I would be afraid to ship the stock with out the barrel in place as well.....Really ups the chance of breakage. Love the tang. Anybody have an idea of the mark on the drum?

Avlrc · « **Reply #16 on:** October 17, 2013, 12:53:32 PM »

He is breaking it up so he can sell it on ebay. He is almost saying so in every description. I would doubt the gun would sell for more than a thousand in one piece. He may know little or nothing about selling antique guns through any other market. Many collectors have a gun or two with parts that came from another gun. Even if they don't know it.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2013, 03:37:46 PM »

I bet this gun started out as a flintlock. It could be a Wm Rice, but I don't think it is. Actually, I don't have any references for a Wm Rice as a Tennessee gunmaker. But then, I'm not an expert. It is certainly in the style of the early Rice rifles, but the Rice's adopted a more "Bean-esque" style by the percussion era. I have owned two rifles with the "WR" marked drums. I figured it stood for "Warranted". as the two rifles shared no similarities in style other than the iron mounts. It could just be the initials of the guy who converted rifles from flint to percussion. Either way, I find it amusing that we get all "worked" up about how someone else farms out their property. The seller knows enough about longrifle terminology to identify a "swamped barrel" and a "lollipop tang". He states the barrel appears to have been mounted on at least three guns, so it seems the parts may be mismatched (maybe- as I have one rifle that has been "period" restocked twice with all the same components minus the wood). I suspect the rifle in its current condition would be worth about $400-500 here in my area (Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee East of the Highland Rim). I'm bidding on some of parts myself just out of some kind of morbid fascination!

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #18 on:** October 17, 2013, 06:01:40 PM »

After looking as all the photos on my large monitor, I think all the parts go together and was originally a flintlock. The lock appears to have originally been a flintlock and the movement of ALL the staples in the barrel about an inch indicates to me that the barrel was cut back that amount either because the touch hole burnt out or to convert it to percussion; or possibly both. I don't see any evidence that the barrel was restocked three times. I think it was always with that stock and those mounts. That guard is typical east TN but it is a very nice example, all forge welded together and nicely filed at the front of the bow. I suspect that the lock was the victim of bad gunsmithing in the form of a poorly fitted replacement mainspring that slipped off the tumbler and broke out the bottom of the lock mortice. That is almost certainly what ended this rifles service life.

WadePatton · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2013, 06:24:28 PM »

Quote from: Avlrc on October 17, 2013, 12:53:32 PM

He is breaking it up so he can sell it on ebay....

And that was the gist of my note to him, that there are plenty of other auction sites to sell such items where they don't have to be busted up.

lock aside, It looks a lot better than the one dragged up out of a lake recently.

The lock is the only major casualty there... just a little TLC in the right hands for this one!

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #20 on:** October 17, 2013, 06:26:01 PM »

Quote

My bet is that it could have been sold for more intact elsewhere than the pieces will fetch on Ebay.

Maybe but I doubt it. The owner knows what he is doing. Ebay has such a large buyer population. I have had a far nicer southern rifle on Gunbroker for several months listed for $995 with seemingly no interest at all. I will bet that this old rifle will end up selling for close to that price if not more. I doubt seriously that it would have sold on gunbroker for much more than the $450 in combined bids it has at the present time. Lets see what happens.
Dennis

JTR · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2013, 06:48:09 PM »

I have a feeling that all the parts will end up in one guys hands at the end.....

John

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #22 on:** October 17, 2013, 08:14:07 PM »

I'm working hard to get the barrel. If nothing else, I now have some excellent photos and measurements to restore a rifle with a very similar profile, set of triggers, and guard- I'd say mine were made by the same fellow or someone who worked with him. My barrel was cut down a little bit from the muzzle.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2013, 09:27:31 PM »

The barrel went for $306.99! The stock sold for $404.99 plus $20 shipping. Those fine Tennessee triggers went for $182.99. Guard went for $281.99. Lock went for $60.99.

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #24 on:** October 17, 2013, 09:43:01 PM »

The winner on the barrel has bid on all the parts in the past. Don't bid against him. Let him have it all.

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Author Topic: souther mountain rifle parts on Ebay (Read 23678 times)

ODHAinWI