Generic is a word that comes to mind. Not in a bad way but more as defining a rifle of this period. The buttstock reminds me of a Huntingdon Co. PA creation with its narrowness and lines as does the trigger guard. The halfstock, though, with the silver (German silver I suspect) cap tells me otherwise and it wouldn't surprise me if some of the furniture was reused from an older gun.
Given the oval patchbox, the lock, and the application of the inlays I'd opine a very late rifle. Probably barely predating the Civil War. The inlays recall a previous era but are crude and mostly meaningless. Again, not a criticism. Just an observation.
What I'm getting at is that the finer rifles made twenty years previous might be viewed as an artistic composition. Inlays were incorporated into the design from the beginning and one might say they had a kind of flow and meaning. I can't see anything approaching artistry in this rifle and truthfully it would be mostly unexpected at the time this rifle was made.
When I look at the whole picture I see a piece made by competent hands. I'd not be surprised to find a Remington stamp on the underside of the barrel. My guess is that the gun had never been very far from where it was made. If one happened to know where in Indiana the gun was purchased, then I'd not be too surprised if the maker couldn't be narrowed down pretty closely.
