John Drepperd trade gun

[jdm]

I thought the hammer on this rifle was interesting. It's a fifty cal. with a 33 3/4 inch keyed  barrel. With nice engraving that he is known for.

[JCKelly]

Very nice rifle.

Just curious what all makes it a trade rifle? The bellflowers, I am told, are an indication. What else?

This class of rifles has begun to interest me. Long time ago I bought a percussion conversion Deringer "smooth rifle", which I think is one made under contract with the US some time after 1815.

[Mtn Meek]

Just curious what all makes it a trade rifle? The bellflowers, I am told, are an indication. What else?

This class of rifles has begun to interest me. Long time ago I bought a percussion conversion Deringer "smooth rifle", which I think is one made under contract with the US some time after 1815.

The trade rifles followed a certain pattern or stock architecture and had common characteristics or features that the fur trade companies, government, and merchants ordered.  The trade rifles/guns that the fur trade companies actually bought and sent west were pretty much less expensive versions the same firearms the builders were selling into the civilian market.  Today, most so called trade rifles are these civilian versions as few of the rifles that were actually traded to Indians survive and those that have are highly collectable.

With that caveat, what is the pattern and what are the characteristics of a trade rifle?

The pattern is the classic, late (post-1800) Lancaster longrilfe just like the one that jdm posted pictures of.  They were referred to as "Lancaster" or "American" rifles in the fur companies ledgers.

They were generally brass mounted, though AFC did order a few iron mounted trade rifles from JJ Henry.  They generally had patch boxes.  The trigger guards are often so similar that it is likely that the builders ordered them from the same supplier.  They generally had the classic Lancaster side plate like the Drepperd pictured.  They often had a checkered wrist.  Nearly all had barrel keys.  They were sometimes ordered with a wrist inlet and a cheekpiece inlet.  These could be brass or silver.

The engraving was generally very basic and sometimes crude unless the rifle was ordered as presentation grade suitable for a chief.  Flowers or animals or symbols may have been included in the engraving, but more often simple floral patterns or geometric shapes were engraved.

The patch box finial and engraving varied and sometimes became a trade mark of the builder.

Of course, a trade rifle made by one of the builders mentioned in fur company ledgers and government contracts is a plus, but other builders made the exact same pattern and some probably acted as sub-contractors to the named builder.

And yes, the Office of Indian Trade contracted with Henry Deringer in 1816 for 120 rifles and 60 smoothbore rifles.

[smylee grouch]

This particular rifle appears to be in pretty good shape, nice find for some one. Too bad it wasn't a flinter.

[Mtn Meek]

This particular rifle appears to be in pretty good shape, nice find for some one. Too bad it wasn't a flinter.

This is a very nice example of the trade rifle pattern.  I agree it was never a flinter, but think it's more interesting as a percussion.  The unusual hammer shape and the use of two lock bolts suggests it was built when percussion caps were "new". 

If you study the early percussion systems such as in Lewis Winant's book, hammers took on some unusual shapes as builders experimented with different systems from Forsyth's loose powder in his scent-bottle system to the patch-lock then the punch-lock and the pill-lock and tube-lock.  It appears that when the cap-lock was developed, it took a while for lock makers to arrive at the hammer shape that became almost universal and so familiar to us today.

John Drepperd was probably foremost a lock maker, and that hammer may be one his very early attempts at making a cap-lock.  Jim Gordon has several Drepperd marked rifles in his collection, and those with percussion hammers are the more traditional shape.

Maslin appears to be going through a similar process with the hammer on the cap-lock below.

[Mike Brooks]

I like that style of gun. I built one for a western fellow a decade or two ago.

[JTR]

Nice gun, and nice shape too! The hammer is somewhat reminiscent of some of those used by Armstrong on some of his percussions.
John

[Seth Isaacson]

They were referred to as "Lancaster" or "American" rifles in the fur companies ledgers.

I've never successfully figured out what the "English rifles" that appear on some American Fur Co. ledgers from the Midwest refer to with any certainty. Any idea what those looked like? Edit: I've always assumed this meant the style in Hanson's book that if I recall correctly was made by Wheeler.

[jdm]

Thanks for the look and the replies.
Mtn Meek thank you for your response to JcKelly. I was unable to get back to him last night. I might add  the single trigger is also a common trade gun feature also that type of wrist checkering is another. If I remember right John Drepperd had at least one contract with American Fur Co. in 1830. I assume there are more  but I'd need to do a little  research . This rifle has been shot quite a bit but was well cared for.

[Buck]

Jim,

Cool gun, I like it.

Buck

[Mtn Meek]

I've never successfully figured out what the "English rifles" that appear on some American Fur Co. ledgers from the Midwest refer to with any certainty. Any idea what those looked like? Edit: I've always assumed this meant the style in Hanson's book that if I recall correctly was made by Wheeler.

Rambling,

In response to your question above, I've started a new topic on English Pattern Trade Rifles:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=43766.0