J Camf rifle

[Shreckmeister]

I stopped at a local estate sale today and was discussing old muzzleloaders with the family.  The son spoke up and said he had one and asked if I wanted to see it.  He went home and brought it back.  The rifle is clearly from the shop of William G. Shreckengost, but the signature is J Camf.  The stock architecture, patent breech, front sight, tang, wear plate, ramrod pipes, engraving on the barrel and tang are all the work of Shreckengost, but the patchbox engraving and style and the moon on the cheek, trigger guard and sideplate are not examples like I have seen on any of the many other rifles I have seen.

[Paul E. Wog]

Mr. Meister,
  Restock using a Solomon Kempf barrel and patchbox??
  S. Kempf ( Camf, Cemph, Cemf, etc., kinda like the spellings of Shreckengost ), Westmoreland Co., PA ( 1809-1862 ) [ Whisker II ]
  Shreck ( NOT Meister )

[jdm]

Hey! If you have some parts laying around . Why make your own when you can use them.
Rob, if that truck was here in Missouri there would be an empty 24 pack of Bud instead of Pepsi in the back.  I love how you are always running across stuff.  All I see out here are those pesky  Colts and Winchesters.   JIM

[Shreckmeister]

It's amazing what you run across sometimes Jim. I love the Hunt

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

I recall "returning to you as a family member" a fine Schreckengost with a different barrel signature. Perhaps in his non-traditional style,  he decided to place the "owners" signature rather than his on the barrels/
Hurricane

[Shreckmeister]

This is the 9th example of a Shreckengost rifle with someone else's name on the barrel that
I have come across.

[Paul E. Wog]

Mr. Meister,
  OK, gotta weigh in here again , the barrel signature on this particular rifle is NOT Wm. Shreckengost's hand.
  Kinda like the one that was posted recently; A. Bonnett, the letter character and flourishes are not the same as on other Shreckengost signatures, OR, the same writing style as in the family bible.
  Ergo, my 2d's worth is still the recycled parts theory...restock with Shreckengost additions 
  I remain, YMHAOS...Shreck ( NOT Meister )

[Paul E. Wog]

Mr. Meister,
Oh, and by the way, thanks for show and tell...you really do ferret out the cool stuff
When and how do you find the time
                               Shreck, with a still unopened bottle of Glenmorangie La Santa on hand

[Shreckmeister]

I recall "returning to you as a family member" a fine Schreckengost with a different barrel signature. Perhaps in his non-traditional style,  he decided to place the "owners" signature rather than his on the barrels/
Hurricane

    I believe the original owner of the John McCann rifle was a farmer named John McCann who lived a few miles upstream on the same waterway where
Shreckengost had his shop.  The farmer's son in law was a very successful man in the timber business and his timber was floated down that waterway to the
Allegheny River right past Shreckengost's shop.  I presume the son in law purchased the rifle for his father in law John McCann.  He is the only one with that
name in the area during the 1850 timeframe when the rifle was made.  The farmer would not have had enough money to get a rifle that fine otherwise.
It's my story and I can tell it any way I like.....

[oldtravler61]

What about an apprentice firearm an he let him sign it. Just a thought. Nothing more.

[Shreckmeister]

Can't rule that out yet. I'd like to see Solomon kempf signature

[Paul E. Wog]

Mr. Meister,
  Check out Rosenberger & Kaufmann; The Longrifles of Western Pennsylvania; Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties; pgs. 94-96...very similar engraving style by Solomon's half-brother Benjamin.
Shreck ( you know the rest )