L. Mills

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Looking for information on a gunsmith "L. Mills" who possibly from Wisconsin.  I appreciate any help or hints helping me in identifying this maker!

[Avlrc]

Curt Johnson, has a Lafayette Mills, listed in his IL book.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Thanks, I have that book! I suffer from an over abundance of information- books, internet, kids, work....  I will check it out when I get home.

[Avlrc]

Let us know , what you find out?

[Curt J]

Lafayette Mills worked in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, right up against the Wisconsin State Line. He worked both alone, and with a partner, James Thompson. I have a Mills & Thompson rifle, stamped "L. MILLS & J. THOMPSON", on the top barrel flat, and the underside of the trigger guard, with two separate one-piece stamps. The buttplate, trigger guard, and set triggers, are all hand-forged iron, and it is stocked in ash.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Any way we can get you to post some photos of that rifle? What caliber is it and what's the barrel length?

Thanks,

Bill

[Curt J]

I'll see what I can do about some photos, in the next several days. The caliber is .46, the barrel is 1 3/16" across the flats with no taper, and is 33 7/8" long.  This is obviously a heavy rifle, styled like a Plains rifle, but stocked in ash, with exceptionally nice hand-forged mountings, and some engraving.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

I picked up a bullet mold with "L. Mills 80" from a guy who lives in southern Wisconsin.  I figured Mills was a gunsmith. I'd post some photos, but I can't get photobucket to work properly.

[Curt J]

I have some photos of the Mills & Thompson rifle on Flickr, but I can't seem to figure out how to post a link here, that works. My Flickr account name is ilgunmkr, if you care to do a search. You can probably just google "Mills & Thompson" and find it.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Curt,

Thanks for directing me to your Flicker photos.  I appreciate it.  I only had the 1st volume of the "Gunmakers of Illinois", naturally L. Mills was in the 2nd volume.

[Curt J]

I received the photos you sent of the mold.  As you can see, the stamp on your bullet mold appears to be the same as Mills' stamp on my rifle. If you ever decide to part with it, I hope you will keep me in mind.