James Bown muzzleloader

[Bladehand1]

I have an old muzzle loader that has no markings on the barrel.  Just a worn stamp that reads JAMES ...... Pittsburgh stamped on the double trigger plate. Does anyone know how to date and appraise this firearm? I can email pics of the gun to further investigate.

Thanks
Kris

[Ky-Flinter]

The following was posted in a separate thread.....

You have locked your thread.  As such, no one can reply to it.  If you desire answers, I suggest that you unlock it.  After you have done so, go to the tutorial forum and read how to post pictures to this board.  Then post your pictures.  I have a Bown catalog and will respond once you have completed the above tasks.

I have unlocked this thread, so anyone may reply.

-Ron

[Bladehand1]

Thank You Ron! I wasn't aware that I had done that.

[T*O*F]

James Bown & Son aka Enterprise Gun Works.
established 1848  136 and 138 Wood Street
Headquarters for Sporting Goods and ammunition of all kinds.
Had an armory and machine shop and built their own line of muzzleloaders.
Supplied all types of hard goods to gunmakers, kinda like an early Brownells.
Also imported English and Belgian guns.

If you can supply pictures and details of your gun, I can probably give you their model number and cost when purchased.

They are not particularly expensive guns value wise.

[Bladehand1]

Send me your email and I can send pics!

Thanks
Kris

[T*O*F]

Send me your email and I can send pics!

Don't want em.  Read the tutorial forum on now to post pictures here and then post them so everyone can enjoy and use for future reference.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10.0

[Bladehand1]

email is a lot simpler

[Curt Lyles]

Kris    I bought 2 old rifles back in the summer and one was  marked James Bown Maker .It is a full stock ,brass mounted cap lock ,about 36 cal.

  The other one is about 28 cal ,3/4 dia barrel haft stock cap gun.
   These aren't fancy guns just good old workin mans guns .I can send pix if you want to compare .
   Curt

[Ky-Flinter]

email is a lot simpler

That may be true, but that's not how it works here.  There are many very knowledgeable folks here who give freely of their time and experience.  So, if you want some good input on your gun, you will need to do a little work and post some pictures.  In addition, as TOF said, the info will be here for future use by other researchers.  It's really not that hard.  Upload the pictures to Photobucket or any other hosting site, copy the picture link, paste the link in a reply here.  That's it.

-Ron

[OLUT]

There is a 70+ page reprint of James Bown's 1876 catalog in Satterlee's "10 Old Gun Catalogs". Although most of it covers various cartridge firearms, there is a good listing of the specifications and prices of the diverse muzzle loading rifles and shotguns that Bown made, as well as the pricing for different gunsmithing activities they performed. If your gun is stamped "James Bown" or "Bown and Tetley"on the top barrel flat the gun was undoubtedly produced by him; if the Bown stamping is only on the lock or trigger assembly, the odds are that some local gun maker bought the parts from Bown and then created his own unique gun.

[Erniekim]

Do you have any info on the catalog reprint. I’d like to get one
Thanks

[T*O*F]

4 copies available here

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=satterlee&tn=10+Old+Gun+Catalogs&kn=&isbn=