A bit harsh for a new guy, don't we think? Hi Cory, and welcome to this collection of gruff old !@#$% and all sorts of critters who enjoy the old longrifles.
Agree with Mike that condition of the bore is important - if bore is good or easily shined up, this could be a fine rifle for anyone. Hard to tell so far, but looks like a generic Lancaster rifle with Bivins iron hardware and a combination of Siler lock with some modifications to make it more correct, blind tapped frizzen spring, curled tail on frizzen, etc. Davis triggers? Either iron or silver pipes and forend cap? We don't know what barrel. Plain maple is fine, and lines might be good. Inletting looks good at lock. A number of folks sell kits like this, or might be custom given some details. I like to let lock and barrel in white age naturally - like many of the old guns did. That's not poor care - if the barrel and lock are maintained. Looks good on the trail. This is probably better than the first half dozen rifles I owned.
IF this is a southern mtn rifle, maybe we like an English lock for those, but this may not be an smr, and plenty of fine shooting rifles have Siler locks on them. We can suggest additional info for the 2nd, 3rd and so on projects. For a first rifle, this might be a dandy. Please post more pics, run an oily patch down the barrel and check function. See if it fits you, if you can sight down the barrel and sights line up.
Re value, a kit or set of parts if straight barrel are how much - $8 - 900? A finished rifle like this probably $1,500 or so - what would you that have posted charge for a plain Lancaster like this with good parts? If you can buy or trade for less, great - but there is value there, someone appears to have put some good work in here. Now if additional photos show something else, we can come back with further comments.
Find someone local to go shooting with, and welcome to the fold.
