W. N. Younker - New/Old Target Rifle - photos added 5/1/2019

[Kevin]

Greetings Everyone,

I'm just starting to help a relative gather some info on a rifle (sorry, no pics, at least not yet).  Top of barrel stamped "W. N. Younker" and from the spacing looks to have been done with individual letter stamps. 

The rifle appears to be a rebuild using an old octagon barrel (approx 55 - 60 caliber) as it has another barrel stamp cut by a now empty dovetail slot (looks like C .......... HWINE on first line and ........STER on the second).

The stock is without a ramrod channel but with a squared step at the front to provide solid contact with a muzzle rest on the front of a shooting bench.  It sports a double set trigger, 20th century sights (Lyman adjustable rear and a globe front) and a percussion look that looks like it could have come off a shotgun.

Initial thought: assembled in the 1940 - 1965 timeframe.

Any and all thoughts regarding W. N. Younker will be greatly appreciated.

Kevin

[DICKH]

      In the book HOW published by the NMLRA, Lou Cowher in his chapter on freshing or recutting
a barrel said.

       Walter Grote tells about being awakened by hearing William (Billy) Yonker, Shartlesville,Pa.,
freshing out his ml rifle,early one Sunday morning before the shooting match. Billy Yonker holds
the record of sixteen consecutive tens at 100 yards,bench rest using a flint lock.

       Even if Cowher spelled Yonker with out a (u) I would bet William (billy) Yonker and W.N. Younker
are the same person.

Rickard Henderson

[Kevin]

Mr. Henderson,

Many thanks for sharing this insight.  Shartlesville, PA is only about 100 miles from where the rifle in question was reportedly purchased by the current owner.  Also, the article citing Mr. Younker/Yonker as a bench rest competitor is encouraging.

Thanks Again,
Kevin

[DICKH]

 Kevin
       Glad to have been able help hope you can post some pictures of the rifle.


Richard Henderson

[Kevin]

A few more pieces of the puzzle found.

A brief lunchtime visit to my local historical society turned up a December 1, 1946 article in the Philadelphia Inquirer titled "Muzzle-Loaded Rifles Still Echo in Up-State Foothills" and it was about the Blue Mountain Muzzle Loading Rifle Association of Shartlesville, PA.  Toward the end of the article William Younker is described as a "local farmer" and "former State Muzzle Loading Champion."

Mr. Younker was born in 1881 and passed in 1966. (date of passing corrected on 3/15/2019 - Kevin)  His grave is documented online at:  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55859712/william-n_-younker

All for now.  Hopefully more to follow.

Kevin

[DICKH]

       I got too thinking that I had seen William Younders picture in one of my Muzzle Blasts
magazines.Took a while but found his picture in the May 1947 issue.

[Kevin]

Mr. Henderson,

Thank you for posting the image of Mr. Younker.  Hopefully the rifle, my camera, and myself come together in the same location soon.

Thanks Again,
Kevin

[Hungry Horse]

His obit actually says he died in 1966, not 1996. I thought it would have been a big deal if he actually lived that long. I have always loved that story of him freshening his barrel before the match. Obviously the old timers didn’t think it was such an arduous task as some folks do today.

  Hungry Horse

[Kevin]

Yes, 1966 - my mistake while typing.  Thanks Hungry Horse for catching that.

Kevin

[Bob Roller]

His obit actually says he died in 1966, not 1996. I thought it would have been a big deal if he actually lived that long. I have always loved that story of him freshening his barrel before the match. Obviously the old timers didn’t think it was such an arduous task as some folks do today.

  Hungry Horse

Probably had the tools to "fresh" it with ready from the last time he did it and
removed very little material to get what was wanted. I remember seeing badly
neglected barrels in Bill Large's shop that were restored to new and put back into
use as target rifles and hunting guns.There was a big drawer in Bill's work bench that
was full of old rifling heads used to recut these relics. I don't really know when the
transition from recut barrels to new made ones occurred but it finally dawned on me
that there hadn't been any old barrels in Bill's shop for years.Sort of like old soldiers,
they just faded away.

Bob Roller

[smokinbuck]

In reply to Bob's comment about Bill Large's drawer ful of cutters. I have an "old" rifling machine from George Brammer's shop in Washington County Ohio and around 125 freshing cutters. Apparently it was a pretty common practice.
Mark

[flinchrocket]

He made some pretty big bullet holes on that target!

[Kevin]

Finally got some some photos of this target gun.  Also, a few more details:

44 and 1/4" inch slightly swamped barrel approx 1 and 1/4" at muzzle and 1 and 5/16" at breech.  7 grooves.

DST fires only from the "set" position

Stock appears to be walnut

LOP = 13"

Enjoy,
Kevin




















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[LTC]

A new member here, I recently purchased a 25 pound benchrest percussion target gun. The top of the 1.5" hexagonal barrel is marked with hand stamps W N Younker. A google search lead me here. I will attempt to attach a few photos of my new prize.








As you can see, there are a few issues with the gun. I believe the hammer appears to be too long for the lock. It a Josh Golcher marked lock. Double set triggers, Globe front sight and aperture rear sight. Not equipped with a false muzzle or ramrod.

[Daryl]

The barrel is octagonal(8 sides), not hexagonal(6 sides).
Heavy rifle.