*Any ideas on this "Barn Find" from PA? *

[Matt / PA]

These pictures came to me this weekend from a buddy of mine.........This is technically a "Under grandma's bed find"

Here is everything that I know:
Grandma was born in 1917 in this same house, and the gun is "supposedly" her grandfathers.
The family name is Berger and have lived in this area since at least the time of my friend's great,great,great grandfather.
The house is located in western Schuylkill County PA between Pine Grove and Schuylkill Haven, PA.
The gun was found......literally.....under grandma's bed as they prepare the old farm house and farm for sale.
Barrel length is 43"
Caliber unknown
Brass mounted.


Any ideas? Seems to me like a mix of some crude and some good craftsmanship......and I've never seen anything like the rear of the cheekpiece where it looks like it held a large brass? inlay at some point.
If you click on the individual pictures it should bring up a larger more detailed view

[Hungry Horse]

My guess would be that the massive inlay was silver, which is likely why it's missing. The inlay on the cheek is silver, and I suspect the fish on the forearm are as well. The massive inlay at the butt quite possibly was a coverup for an accidental bore through when the builder was inletting the patchbox mechanism. The pristine lock mortise is rare, and there is minimal evidence of the wood around the lock being burned by percussion caps, even though the lock plate shows signs of cap erosion. The broken wrist is common, and looks repairable.
 Very nice find

 Hungry Horse

[Matt / PA]

My guess would be that the massive inlay was silver, which is likely why it's missing. The inlay on the cheek is silver, and I suspect the fish on the forearm are as well. The massive inlay at the butt quite possibly was a coverup for an accidental bore through when the builder was inletting the patchbox mechanism. The pristine lock mortise is rare, and there is minimal evidence of the wood around the lock being burned by percussion caps, even though the lock plate shows signs of cap erosion. The broken wrist is common, and looks repairable.
 Very nice find

 Hungry Horse

HH ,

Thanks for the reply! Appreciated.
Does that look to you to be converted from flint or percussion from build?

[Hungry Horse]

I would say that if it was converted, the entire lock was likely replaced. In fact the edges of the lock are very pronounce unlike many old locks. It could be a modern replacement nicely aged. The artificial striped stock is kind of a surprise. This is seen more often on guns for the Indian trade, but not exclusively so. The single trigger is also more common on gun for the Indian trade.
 If it was traded to the natives, that also could explain the large inlay missing. Native peoples often removed large pieces of metal from traded guns to use as hide scrapers.

  Hungry Horse

[Longknife]

Matt, On a flintlock mechanism the hammer has a "stop" notch on the back side that rests on the top of the plate when hammer is at rest. It is necessary to notch the wood to give this stop clearance. It looks to me that there is no notch in the wood behind the hammer, and if so then your rifle was made originally in percussion and not converted.....Ed

[Tim Crosby]

 If that rifle is converted I would be surprised, based on the fit of the bolster to the stock and the height of the drum on the barrel. As an off, the TG looks unfinished. Could just be the photography. TC