Poor soldier

[Longknife]

I posted a pic of this rifle a while ago and there was some interest in seeing the rest of it. So here is the rifle I named , "Poor Soldier"...Ed

[Tanselman]

I can't read the name on the barrel, but the stock profile, guard style, cheekpiece, rather plain wood, etc. all look very much like a Leman commercial rifle. Shelby Gallien

[Longknife]

RIGHT!!!!!!

[louieparker]

Longknife  Is that a repair to the box lid ?  Bet it has an interesting history. Very possible Indian use..   Probably made for the Indian trade......LP

[hanshi]

The name really does fit.

[vanu]

What a wonderful piece! I hope it stays in this condition, lots of character as-is...even the highest quality restoration would turn it into just another Leman...

Bruce

[JTR]

I agree on not restoring it, but would glue the broken pieces, like the broken wrist, back together to keep everything in one piece.

If at some point the wrist gives way and the gun breaks in half, that'll be pretty much bye bye gun!

[vanu]

John has a good point. Many of us on this site, are somewhat of a rare breed of collectors in that we favor the unspoiled. That said however, If the arm is stable it will be much less likely that an aggressive /inappropriate restoration will be carried out in the future, thus preserving artifacts as-is for future collectors/curators to study without the complexities of deconstructing a restorative campaign.

Bruce

[WESTbury]

I personally do not see the need to restore artifacts like this rifle. It is a lot of history wrapped up in one neat package.

[Notchy Bob]

The rifle is a beauty.  Thanks for posting!

I'm seeing LEMAN over LANCTRPA (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) on the lock plate.

I don't know a lot about Indian trade rifles, but I'm interested in them.  I see corrugated brass ramrod pipes and no entry thimble, as you see on Northwest guns.  I did not know these features could be seen on trade rifles, but here is an example.  No nosecap, either.  The triggerguard looks like classic Leman, but I would consider that capbox lid unusual.

Is the furniture all brass, or mixed iron and brass?  Was there a sideplate?  I would be interested if there was, and what shape.  I can't see a well-defined inlet in the damaged wood.

It would also interest me (and maybe some others) to know some of the dimensions... Barrel length and diameter, approximate bore size, OAL and length of pull to the front trigger.

Thanks!

Notchy Bob

[Longknife]

Longknife  Is that a repair to the box lid ?  Bet it has an interesting history. Very possible Indian use..   Probably made for the Indian trade......LP

Louie, Yes there is a repair to the patch box lid. A thick piece of brass was added the to lid and a thin piece of what appears to be copper was added to the underside, all neatly riveted together.

[Longknife]

I agree on not restoring it, but would glue the broken pieces, like the broken wrist, back together to keep everything in one piece.

If at some point the wrist gives way and the gun breaks in half, that'll be pretty much bye bye gun!

JTR, It is broken in half, 

[louieparker]

Great repair !    I like to see rifles like this..They are now very hard to find....   LP

[Brent English]

I'm confident it's a Leman or a Conestoga Rifle Works (a Leman company) rifle, made for the Indian trade.  First, it says Leman on the lock, and the stock profile and other features match up as does the patch box outline (there was some variety in these).  The side plate was normally a simple washer with a vertical tail. They often used NW trade gun style ramrod pipes (stamped, ribbed thin sheet brass) and shipped without nosecap.  I have a smooth rifle that is a match to this one, but without the patchbox and set triggers. Originally it would have had a faux striped maple finish.  Sometimes the barrels were marked, sometimes not. As others mention, best left as a relic, please don't restore it.   There is a great encyclopedia on trade guns put out the by the "Museum of the Fur Trade" in Chadron, NB.  A great excuse to go to Nebraska if one is needed. Here's a link to the book, highly recommended if you are into trade guns: https://www.furtrade.org/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_85&product_id=124

[Eric Kettenburg]

That piece is awesome.  I wouldn't touch a thing!  Absolutely fantastic appearance.

[Tanselman]

The rifle looks very much like a Leman product, but I question the lock plate. it looks like a replacement lock to me, when you look at the fit toward the nose, and alignment/shape of percussion side lug cutout. Shelby Gallien

[WElliott]

Generally, I’m inclined to leave alone normal wear from the period of use, and to address neglect from later negligent storage, such as rust and crud. I have a Wiley Higgins rifle that came to me rusty and filthy, perhaps from being left in a barn for 100 years. I was debating what to do, when a wise lady asked me “would Wiley Higgins want to see his work looking like this?”  Needless to say, the rifle then received some appropriate attention.