Gathering info on longrifle that gave me my start

[RonC]

Some 2 years or so ago, I saw this longrifle at a local gun shop and knew I had to have it. The previous owner was involved in rendezvous and re-enacting but was in ill health. If I bought the rifle, he would give me a large assortment of muzzleloading gear including a possibles bag, powder horns (large and priming), brass black powder measurers, tools, tomahawk, knife, cappers, etc.
How could I resist. So, this is the muzzleloader that kicked off my interest.
I don't know who made it, although I have heard some guesses. I don't know the exact style it is modeled from. I value your input.








Thank you,
Ron

[Mike Brooks]

No way to tell who made it. There are thousands of unmarked guns out there that are unsigned and nobody will ever know who made them. It would be nice if everybody at least stamped their name on them somewhere, but it just doesn't happen. You might look under the barrel, sometimes they are marked there.

[RonC]

This is one for which no marking can be found. I have had the barrel off and looked, but it is unmarked.
Ron

[nosrettap1958]

Beautiful sweeping and graceful lines on that rifle, you did good Ron.


How does it shoot??

[RonC]

It shoots with good accuracy and precision at 50 yds, Crawdad. Although I have had it for a while, I haven't tried it at 100 yards.
The lock is by Pete Allan. At least that is the name on the inside.
This is a lock in which you must pull the set trigger before putting it at half or full cock.
It does require a wipe down the barrel and a poke with a flash hole pin every few shots.
Ron

[Belleville]

Ron,

Consider taking it to a good M/L gunsmith for a couple of repairs. The set triggers can be modified so that it is not necessary to set them prior to cocking the rifle and safer. The touch hole may need enlarged slightly or coned from the inside of the barrel or both to prevent the constant need to clear it and may improve "lock time", click to boom time. Rather minor fixes and will make your experiences more enjoyable. Have fun!

Doc S.

[RonC]

Thank you, Belleville!
The slow lock time may be due to the fact that my patches for between shot wiping were too wet. At least that is a possibility I have learned.

Ron

[whitebear]

You got a beautiful rifle to start out with, as Bellevill said a few little touch ups and you will have a better rifle.  With the extras you got a deal and a half and probably helped another muzzleloader when he was in need of $$$ more than a gun.

[RonC]

I was, indeed, very fortunate. I also was remarkably naive about what would be required in shooting traditional muzzleloaders and had no idea how much important and valuable gear I was getting.
Here is some of it:

Ron

[nosrettap1958]

There is just something about owning a treasured rifle that just sucks you in to the sport. Don't know what it is but its out there lurking around.   

[RonC]

How right you are!
I have been completely captivated.
My bookshelf is full of reading material on Kentucky (Pennsylvania) rifles, percussion firearms, the French and Indian War, the War of Independence, etc. I can't get enough.
My muzzleloader rifle racks seem to be filling.
When I must leave for a month of foreign travel for work, I suffer from black powder withdrawal.

Ron

[nosrettap1958]

Ron, going through my North Carolina books nothing jumps out at me that resembles the lines of your rifle.  Possible further north such as Virginia or Maryland attributes?   

[RonC]

Are the lines, perhaps, more like a Pennsylvania?
Ron

[nosrettap1958]

Ron, could be a Pennsylvanian but the shape and placement of that cheek piece is kind of throwing me for a loop.

[nosrettap1958]

How about this Samuel Baum.   The cheek piece is almost identical in my opinion.


http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4008.0

[RonC]

Doesn't the cheekpiece look a little narrower from top to bottom on the Baum?
The Baum is really a nice rifle and much more ornate than my "replica". I would love to have such a nice patch box on mine.

I recently saw photos of a TVA rifle delivered to an individual on another site. It had almost identical lines to mine and was described as a "Southern" style and, like mine, lacked a patch box.

My brother lived out your way for many years, working in Mt. Joy, York and Harrisburg, PA.
Ron

[nosrettap1958]

He lived in the heart of black powder country for sure. Some great black powder shops around Harrisburg and a lot of interest in the American longrifle. 

[kaintuck]

Ron, like the model airplanes too.....seems ALOT of us in this hobby like planes and rifles!
The kat is a good buddy to hav around too, looks as if your rifle was a builder with southern influences, if you wanted a patch box, it could be added now.

Welcome to madness......

Marc n tomtom

[Bob Roller]

Ron, like the model airplanes too.....seems ALOT of us in this hobby like planes and rifles!
The kat is a good buddy to hav around too, looks as if your rifle was a builder with southern influences, if you wanted a patch box, it could be added now.

Welcome to madness......

Marc n tomtom

While I built model planes when in grade school,I never got into RC or line controlled types.
I was in a flying club associated with the EAA for about 8 years.Let my ticket expire years ago
and have no idea where my log book is.We flew older aircraft like Stearman,Piper J3,Taylorcraft,
Cessna 195,Stinson Reliant and Voyager.
I worked for Island Creek Coal Co. in 1956 and maintained a Lockheed Loadstar and an Aero Commander 680
for their executives.The Commader was a flying Town car and a Ted Smith design that was beautiful.
The Loadstar was heavy and under powered with two R985's. Two R1320" would have made it a much better plane.
 Bob Roller

[RonC]

When an activity is good enough to do, it is good enough to do in excess. That's my motto!
Aircraft, collecting old military rifles, traditional muzzle loaders - it only is acceptable to go overboard with the interest.

I don't have the time or patience to build model aircraft anymore, so what you see are diecast models that either are pre-built or just required popping on wings or stabilizers. 1/18 scale versions hang from my ceiling. My wife says that I have the attention span of a schizophrenic hummingbird and that is not a characteristic conducive to building models.

Nowadays, my flintlocks and percussion firearms have taken over from all my other interests. My 98K Mausers, Arisakas, Swiss K31, Finn M39, M1 Garands, M1 carbines sit forlorn and abandoned as I go off to the range with the sidelocks. Sad, but true.

The cat, Rusty, is a specially trained guard cat who protects my firearms and accoutrements 24/7. When he isn't doing his duties, he is draped over my shoulders as I type - great during the winter, but a little warm during the summer.
Ron

[nosrettap1958]

That modern breech loading stuff is only a fad anyway Ron, you wait and see. 

[longcruise]

Very clever of the seller to include a cat!

[RonC]

The cat, Rusty, took special guard training and I have the evidence of the successful completion of that training.


Honest, I had nothing to do with taking that photo!
Ron

[nosrettap1958]

Still no one else is chiming in to give you their take on your longrifle.   I still think it has a more 'Southern' look to it then Pennsylvania.

[RonC]

From a Novice standpoint, I agree about the Southern influence.

I have spent significant time leafing through my longrifle books trying to match my rifle to the ones in the photos.

Thank you, Crawdad,
Ron