similar patchbox

[altankhan]

I was fascinated that the Henry rifle posted by Mkemper has a similar configuration and patchbox to a rifle  I traded for at Friendship some years back.  Supposedly out of a Civil War collection from Oklahoma.  The gun has been cut back at least six inches and the lock plate has been replaced with a reworked fowler lock.  The brass hardware seems to go together -- the sideplate has a rounded tail (Philadelphia style?) and is lightly stamped Tryon on the inside.  There seem to be inspector's marks stamped in the stock below the triggerguard, with initials -- one initial is pretty clearly a T -- the other is unclear -- possibly an S. These marks, along with the general configuration, suggest to me it may be some sort of a gun produced for annuity payments to Indian tribes.

Buttplate is about 1 3/4 in. wide -- the toe plate is very similar to the one in Mkemper's photo -- and I believe that by depressing it the patchbox opens (though it doesn't really work now, you can feel that it will depress); silver thumbpiece. The barrel is about 7/8 in (or less) and seems either swamped or tapered and is now about .50 cal smoothbore.  Though there is no carving on the stock, the profile and patchbox seems similar to Mkemper's wonderful gun.  Here are a few photos :

[mr. no gold]

This gun has a deciededly early look to it. The box is the narrow, elongated design, with well executed early type engraving. The architecture is the Lancaster 'musket' style and the large prominant cheekrest and somewhat thick butt are features associated with earlier guns. The side plate appears to be cast and is of a size in keeping with the rest of the gun.
The wood has been badly sanded and refinished, but that could be undone to some extent. The percussion conversion looks good and one has to wonder about the lock plate. Very early plates (probably too early for this rifle) sometimes had plain plates; but this could be original to the rifle. It appears that the rib in the toe plate was intended to be depressed to release the box catch which is seen infrequently. It is quite possible that this rilfle was made in the last decade of the 1700s, or very early in the next century.
As well made as it is, a competent maker obviously made it and it could well have been Henry while still in Lancaster. Thank you for posting the photos.
Dick

[altankhan]

Thanks for the insightful comments -- the lockplate seems to have had an extension braised to the anterior end  and the front lock bolt does not even screw into the plate (the hole may have been filled, or braised/welded over) -- thus my idea that the whole plate is a replacement, though with at least part of a fairly early lockplate. What is quite interesting is that I have a Dickert repro lock (I think its L and R) that would fit exactly  into the lock mortise, with only a bit of internal wood removal to seat the sear bar (?).    I don't plan on doing that, however.  The barrel, by the way is held in with flat brass keys and the bow of the triggerguard is an inch wide, the guard and buttplate well filed and finished.