Needing help with ID - More pictures added of initials

[gibster]

I had a guy call me Saturday night wanting to sell a rifle.  It had been in his family for four generations and he was going to leave it to his daughter, but she wanted money instead.  Go figure.  His family was from around the Pittsburg area of Pennsylvania as far as he knew.  He really didn't know much about his family history.  Anyway, the rifle is in untouched condition and is in very good shape.  It's not a high end fancy rifle, but one that has been taken care of by one family for several generations.  There are no repairs to the wood that I can find.  He told me that family tales say that a member of his family made the rifle.  but he had no idea who it may have been.  His Father shot the rifle about 5-years ago and with the condition that it is in, I have no reason to not believe him.  The bore is in good shape and would probably be a good shooter if someone was so inclined.  There are initials on the barrel, but I am having trouble making them out.  Here are some pictures of the rifle and any help ID'ing the maker would be appreciated.

[Shreckmeister]

I think I'm seeing a full last name under that crud

[R.Baitinger]

  Looks like a great rifle the name will come don't let it get away.

[PPatch]

If someone in his family made the rifle it wasn't their first rodeo, shows nice lines and inletting. The engraving is nice but that might have been by another hand, who knows. Initial capitals look like "J" and "T" and there could be more after the T.

Adding my Don't let it get away, nice rifle gun.

dp

[Shreckmeister]

Looked at the Western PA book but nothing jumped out at me. 

[Shreckmeister]

Huntington Cty comes to mind.  Maybe Mark Tyler will know more.

[Ky-Flinter]

Nice piece Gibster.  Lucky you.  I agree on the first initial being a "J", but I'm not seeing a "T".  Looks more like the left side of an H or a K.  There's something after that, but what?  Have you tried shining a light down low and from the side so the light goes across the letters?  Good luck on the ID, but it's a nice piece even without knowing the maker.

Oh, what about that muzzle?  The square grooves seem to end just inside the muzzle.  Is that an optical illusion or is the bore smooth?

-Ron

[Breadhead]

I'm pretty sure there is more there on the signature.  I did a little cursory Photoshop manipulation of the photo you posted and can see the second initial quite well, and perhaps even another letter or two.  Take a few more pictures of the signature and post or PM them to me.

[Shreckmeister]

The left side of the original second letter sure looks like the left side of the d in dickert. Keep in mind half of the german first names started with J ie johann.  Then they often were called by their middle names

[GrampaJack]

My first thought was the patch box looks a lot like the Small family but the lock area and other things seem to be just too far off.  I have seen something very similar but I can't seem to find it. There is a Sam Small gun in the Ohio section of the library for comparison.  I'll keep a lookin.  Jack

[Mark Tyler]

Here is the S. Small link: http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24269.0

This is not a Huntingdon county rifle.

[gibster]

Here are a few more pictures of the initials on the barrel of the rifle.  These pictures show up much better than the one I originally posted. I agree that the first initial is probably a J and from these pictures, it looks to me that the secone initial is an H.  The guy's last name that I bought it from is Hamilton. And if a family member made the rifle as his family seems to think, it may fit.  One thing that I made a mistake on is that his family was from the Philadelphia area, not Pittsburg.  Sorry about the misinformation.  I appreciate all the comments so far and maybe we can get this figured out.  I found a reference for a James Hamilton that worked in Fawn Township in York County PA up till 1842.  There are a few other makers listed whos initials would fit, but who knows.

Ky-Flinter - the bore is deeply rifled and in pretty good condition.
Breadhead - I appreciate thehelp with Photoshoping the image.
Here are the pictures.

[JTR]

I agree, it's JH.
John