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Author Topic: .30 Cal Rifle ID  (Read 3017 times)

Offline Cajun72

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.30 Cal Rifle ID
« on: October 27, 2019, 09:21:19 PM »
Hello recently purchased this rifle trying to identify it. Sellers pics, will examine closer upon arrival. All I know Conestoga Rifle works on lock, John Wandel Wells County Inda(Indiana)
He was treasurer in late 1850s of Wells  County. Don't have a side profile photo. Will take better photos later.















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Offline Tanselman

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2019, 04:32:35 AM »
Your rifle is a percussion era Indiana rifle, as the great barrel signature strongly suggests. I have asked Jeff Jaeger, the person most knowledgeable on Indiana gunmakers, to look at your rifle and comment on it. He probably has more info on the maker than anyone else. A couple of other Wandel rifles have been seen in Indiana, but I don't know much about the maker.

I do have a slight concern about the stock...it looks almost too clean, too new, raised edges too sharp, to be the original stock...but maybe it is, and just had a "parts off" refinishing. Shelby Gallien
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Offline Cajun72

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2019, 01:09:53 PM »
Thanks anxiously awaiting more information
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Offline Craig Wilcox

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2019, 07:11:05 PM »
Gorgeous piece of wood there.  The whole rifle looks great, but possibly cleaned and polished.
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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2019, 08:33:35 PM »
It is a nice looking rifle, but would like to see a full length view when you get it.

May not have been fired a great deal, but you should be able to see if there is flash pitting around the nipple. The wood is great, nice figuring. If the stock has been refinished, the wood to brass fit may show signs if the stock was sanded. Seeing when you have in your hands will tell volumes.

Thanks for sharing the photos.
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Offline Cajun72

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2019, 08:59:15 PM »
Muzzle photo

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Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2019, 11:27:41 PM »
Looks like a resent restock of old parts.
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Offline Daryl

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2019, 03:27:19 AM »
The wood condition and finish suggest that.
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Offline Brent English

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2019, 03:31:10 AM »
I agree, a restock of old parts. Lock panels are too big and toe plate intletting is funky.  Not bad for a restock though and probably pretty true to the original overall. Nice piece of wood.
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Offline Cajun72

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2019, 09:50:06 AM »
Appreciate all the input, I thought the wood looked to new
should have been darker, lines are kind of sharp on buttstock. Lock plate wood area should have been smaller. Previous owner had it for a few years, stated he cleaned it up? I like it and was wanting  a squirrel rifle when I move back to Louisiana next year. Its not a notable piece, but would have been nice to be all original. Can't
wait to take it to the range. What type of wood would have been used originally? Now I know what to look for in the future. Any books or information on what to look for in older rifles?
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Offline Tanselman

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2019, 10:27:49 PM »
Original stock wood was probably curly red maple. Current stock is curly maple with faded curl in some areas, nice out along the forestock on bottom surface. Original rifle's stock blank was probably cut closer to a quarter sawn piece of curly maple, so the curl showed more strongly on the front and back sides of the gun where highly visible. The current stock was cut about 90 degrees from quarter sawn [cheaper stock blank], so most pronounced curl is on bottom and top of stock where it's less visible to the eye.  Shelby Gallien
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Offline Cajun72

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Re: .30 Cal Rifle ID
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2019, 03:15:40 AM »
More photos of side profile, buttstock is definitely too fat and needs some reshaping hence the funky toe plate. Not the best photos.
Any ideas?





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