OK, Gentlemen, here is what I think might maybe from Virginia.
circa 1790, percussion converted from flint. Virginia style trigger guard and both thimbles are iron. The double set triggers are offset to the right, as in some Tennessee rifles.
Styling suggests (based on something I read from Gusler, maybe in MB) it may be from the upper James area, from either Botetourt or Rockbridge County(mislaid source info). The relatively shallow trigger guard and stock with little drop are characteristic of Virginia rifles.
This rifle is entirely iron mounted, and made without either a buttplate or forend cap. Originally made as flintlock, sometime after about 1825 the rifle was converted to percussion ignition.
Which it will remain so long as I own it. I realiy do not like modern castings nailed to an historical item.
The octagonal barrel is heavily swamped, indeed the muzzle is slightly wider across the flats than is the breech. At the muzzle this barrel measures 0.938 inches, then narrows to 0.832” about 8” back, then widens at the breech, but only to 0.862”. This is not atypical of Southern rifles. Rifled with the traditional 7 grooves, the .42 caliber barrel is 43-3/8” long. Rifle weights 8 lb, has 13-1/8" length of pull.
I like tinypic.com as I can more or less figure out how to use it. Oh, I did learn not to use the term "butt". They figure it to be porn. The Improved Photobucket is a complete loss to me.
