Author Topic: Leman rifle lock panel question.  (Read 3031 times)

Three Steps

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Leman rifle lock panel question.
« on: July 10, 2017, 09:21:02 PM »
I have two rifles that are mounted with Leman locks. They are very different style guns from different sources purchased years apart. They both have the same treatment of the lock panel on the front of the lock. One is a 36 caliber with no name on the barrel. No capbox and has 3 silver inlays. Weights about 9 lbs. The other is a heavy target rifle with the long oval capbox I have seen on some Lemans. The barrel is 40 caliber and 1  1/4" across the flats with "A. Starner" in script engraved on the barrel and also "A.S." stamped near the name.  Weighs about 15 lbs. Set triggers on both guns and the striping is in the wood on both, not the painted type. I would like to know if anybody has seen this type of lock panel on a Leman? I'm guessing these were made by somebody else.




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« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 09:33:51 PM by Three Steps »

Three Steps

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2017, 09:24:36 PM »
36 caliber with unusual trigger guard.






Three Steps

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2017, 09:28:52 PM »
Heavy target rifle, wrist repair plates are modern. It had a really bad break and horrible repair job. The engraving on the cap box and lock bolt washer match. The engraving on the wear plate, trigger guard, and tang is different but matches.








Three Steps

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2017, 09:32:54 PM »
Broken wrist on target Leman.



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Offline wormey

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2017, 11:04:51 PM »
In addition to being a prolific gunmaker Leman also sold gunmounts and locks.  Don`t assume just because his name is on the lock that he made the gun.  Not necessarily so.  In the case of rifles with a signature on the barrel that is usually ( but not always) the maker.  Many barrels were marked Remington for example and they did not make the gun, just the barrel.  Leman stocks were renowned for the artificial striping on the wood.  He made a lot of guns for the indian trade and for the western migration.  Many of the guns turned in by the Sioux after their eventual surrender were Lemans.

Offline Seth Isaacson

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2017, 11:20:59 PM »
True about the markings. I just thought I would add that the Remington markings generally end up on the bottom of the barrel at the breech; that makes it harder for them to get confused with the rifle maker whose signature is usually on top of the barrel.
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Offline JCKelly

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2017, 06:07:08 AM »
I have gathered up photos of about 20 Lemans, mostly Gov't contract for Indian use, for my own benefit.

None of these 20 have a lock panel like yours. They are all quite conventional.

Three Steps

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Re: Leman rifle lock panel question.
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2017, 02:35:16 PM »
Thanks, I have looked at a lot of  internet photos and have not seen any like these yet. I'm building a Leman trade rifle now and was holding off of finishing the front of the panel until I studied it more. I'm going to go with the common style of the rounded front.