Davy Crockett's first rifle

[Dphariss]

Agee, that is not the original.  A bench copy.

 It just not possible the photos of the old rifle and those of the new are the same rifle.

Dan

[sqrldog]

Houston made a bench copy of the rifle. This may or may not be it. Story about the rifle and copy was in Muzzleblasts years ago I think. Tim

[jrb]

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/search?q=houston+harrison&updated-max=2016-01-13T07:03:00-05:00&max-results=20&start=6&by-date=false
link to article at the Contemporary Makers website

link to Contemporary Makers website and Houston Harrison copy of Crockett rifle
http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/search?q=houston+harrison

[oldtravler61]

Thought I read somewhere that H.House received a grant from the Smithsonian to restore it. Then he made a bench copy of it. They had trouble telling which one was which. Not sure if that part is true. Anyone remember?

[Dennis Glazener]

From what I have heard all around I believe the one currently in the museum is the bench copy that Caywoodguns made for the owner.

From all the info we have seen it looks like there are several good copies floating around.
Dennis

[Avlrc]

This reminds me of that old tv show " To tell the truth" ( I think) . The object was to guess which person was the one being described , etc. ,. Well, will the real Davy Crockett Rifle Please stand up?   Davy is probably lookin down from the big shootin match in the sky, getting  a kick out of all of this.

[Robby]

Hard to believe that a museum, of all places, would do such a thing without a placard sporting an explanation, very disappointing, no matter what the display.
Robby

[blienemann]

Dennis and I talked a bit today.  The rifle Dennis photographed that looks new is new - Danny Caywood made that copy for the owner of the original.  I'm guessing that the original has been "borrowed back" for a bit and this copy put in its place so that viewers can see something there - and a very good version of Davy's rifle.  But it should have a card that accurately portrays the current situation.

I believe that Herschel did work on the rifle - but best for him or owner to explain how much and what work, if they wish.

Then Houston studied and made one copy of the restored rifle.

Caywood worked with the owner to study and make a series of close copies - first one to Pres. Bush, and this particular one for the owner.

There are quite a few differences between the Caywood and Harrison rifles - which is interesting and informative, as bench copies can vary.  One copied the restored original including the lock, while the other projected what the lock and rifle would have looked like when new and handed to Davy.

thanks for the links to the Harrison article and photos of his version.  Bob

[4th La.]

H. house did do the restoration on the original. He brought the rifle when resttoration was complete to Robin's show at the old Howard Johnson West Hills exit, 30 years ago or better.

4th. La.

[smylee grouch]

Blienemann: You mention in your post that the rifle was handed to Davy when new. I am wondering if he (Davy) bought the gun new or used and if you have some record or reference as to that question.

[TNvol]

Sorry for the confusion, my comment to Dennis at the TN/KY Rifle Show was based on my experience of always seeing the original "Capital Rifle" as it is referred to in the showcase at the East Tennessee History Center's museum.  A little investigation has yielded the following explanation.
The original rifle was taken to Nashville last week, there are several pictures on Facebook of Tennessee Legislators being photographed holding the rifle there.  In the meantime, the copy Dennis photographed was placed in the case for the museum's visitors to see.  After a good laugh about my character and reputation being disparaged and besmirched on the Internet over the situation, the owners assured me that in the future when the original rifle is not on display, a note will be placed in the case identifying it as a copy.

[greybeard]

The triggers are not the same.
       Bob

[willyr]

I remember the Muzzle Blasts article and photographs very well. Hershel House was commissioned to do the restoration on the original rifle. Houston Harrison measured all the dimensions of that rifle and made his drawings from those measurements. He also made a beautiful bench copy of the rifle. This bench copy now resides in private hands. The owner also has a beautiful John Armstrong rifle by Houston Harrison that is absolutely stunning.
Be Well,
Bill

[Avlrc]

Here is the real Crockett rifle
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/45196956_replica-non-firing-musket-franklin-mint-replica-of?from=alert&utm_source=SavedAlert&utm_campaign=SearchAlert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=item

[Bill Paton]

I have one of these Franklin Mint show-pieces, shame-faced as I am to admit it. It was given to me by a long time friend whose father treasured it. It hangs in my 15 year old son’s room where few will see it and it can do no harm. The lock works but the drum is not drilled. I’ve not been temped to drill it, either!

not-in-public Bill Paton

[JCKelly]

There is a Crockett rifle on display in the Alamo

I believe the Alamo is a religious shrine.

I recall thinking something was wrong about it

IMHO, the Alamo is not a place to criticize anything, if one hopes some day to draw social security.

[nosrettap1958]

Is it written in stone that it was a York County longrifle or is there still a debate?  At the Alamo, Crockett was probably equipped with a trade rifle he picked up while traveling to Texas.

[Majorjoel]

I have studied and wondered about this rifle for many years. I kind of think (and that IS pretty dangerous) that the rifle has a "J Ferree" or an early "David Morton" look about it. Early western Pennsylvania, but as I said my idea's lead to trouble.

[nosrettap1958]

So he owned this rifle for only three years, so what rifle did he use after he sold it and his reputation as a frontiersman began? Or was it during this three year period that he gain that reputation?  I've read were he participated and won a lot of local shooting matches with this rifle but it was sold in 1806 and the Red Stick War wasn't until 1813.

[HRobert5]

The Tenn. State Museum had a Crockett rifle and knife on display when I was a student at Vanderbilt in the early 60's. It might still be there. The Franklin Co Tenn. archives have many of Crockett's papers and other things. He lived for a very short time in Lincoln Co and then moved to the Beans Creek area in Franklin Co. His first wife Polly is buried there in a small country cemetery.  My maternal great great grandfather had a homestead near by.

That parcel of Lincoln County is now part of Moore County and there is a historical marking denoting where the homestead was located. (its about 2 miles from my house)