Plain Half-stock Rifle

[Tanasi01]

Anyone recognize the signature or style of this mixed media plains rifle?
Tried charcoal rubbings and all that.  Looks like possibly midwestern but I’m not familiar with makers.
About .36 caliber.

[Bob Roller]

It looks like a nice old gun and whoever made it knew what they were doing.
MAYBE Great Western in Pennsylvania who made what could have been considered
as production guns in the days before mass produced breech loaders were around.
Bob Roller

[Longknife]

It looks like the last name is just four letters, right? If you could figure out the first letter That would sure help!!! I am thinking a P or a J,,,?

Another note, this is just my pet peeve,,,,. I know a lot of people, tend to call Half stock rifles "plains rifles" but in reality a plains rifle is of much larger caliber, most over 50 cal., and in a more robust in profile. During the Lewis and Clark Expedition this  is what Captain Clark wrote about his "small" rifle.
 
"and I took one man and went on Shore    the man Killed an Elk    I fired 4 times at one & did not Kill him, my ball being Small I think was the reason,"

I Shot at the ducks and accidently Shot the head of one off, this Duck and brant was Carried to the house and every man Came around examined the Duck looked at the gun the Size of the ball which was 100 to the pound ( ie .360 size ball)….Ed
 

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

What is the definitive n of a “plains rifle”? I was under The impression they were of a larger caliber as a general rule.

[Longknife]

Yes, Sorry if my post was not clear enough. They are of larger caliber, and more robust, beefier, heavy,,,that is the idea I tried to convey in my post above and then I included actual historical quotes as to why a 36 caliber rifle should NOT be considered a "plains" rifle....

[waarp8nt]

It looks like a nice old gun and whoever made it knew what they were doing.
MAYBE Great Western in Pennsylvania who made what could have been considered
as production guns in the days before mass produced breech loaders were around.
Bob Roller

Maybe, the trigger guard and butt plate look very similar my Great Western Gun Works. Although, the script on the barrel is different, but that doesn't mean the script didn't change over the years or that in the later years the son followed exactly in the fathers foot steps on identification markings.

Would be curious to know if there are any other markings or numbers on the lock or drum? My drum has 87 stamped on it, I can only assume the production year...although rather late for a caplock in my opinion.

[Metalshaper]

Try using aluminum foil and making a rub on that? sometimes the soft metal will rub in and hold the impression..
worth a try anyways??

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[Hungry Horse]

 I alway use chalk dust to bring up letters, and numbers, not easily seen on old guns.

  Hungry Horse

[Longknife]

Sigh...my apologies for such a heinous lexical faux pas calling it a plains rifle.
I guess size does matter with old rifles too. 



We all come here to learn , I guess that was your lesson for the day,,,,