Poorest of the Poor Boys

[wabeek]

This is a longrifle which I acquired as a teenager in 1956, and other than cleaning with a little mineral spirits and hand rubbing with a commercial product, Linspeed Oil, has been left as found.  Not a dealer but an elderly gentleman in rural western PA sold it to me from his very old home.  The notch behind the hammer suggest a flint cock before someone went high-tech with a 'store bought' common Riddle percussion lock.  The barrel appears to have always been the percussion drum you see.  I've never pulled the barrel because the pins are covered in the right side by old wood pegs as is the foreward lock screw hole (pretty fancy).  The only brass are the thimbles which likely were purchased or taken from another rifle.  Unless the stock was severely cut there never was a butt plate.  You can see there was a more traditional trigger guard with a rear pin.  The trigger guard and trigger assembly I really like! 
The .42 cal. barrel is 40.25"; overall the rifle is . 54.5"; line of sight drop 3.5"; butt height also 3.5"; butt width, wrist height & width are all 1.5" .  Trigger pull is just 13" .
Don't really feel confident as to where it's from, though I'm favoring southern.  If you hold the  tallow hole up to your ear you will hear fiddles  & buck dancing.  I would truly appreciate the benefit of your thoughts, so don't hesitate with your observations...the good, the bad and the ugly!

[Tanselman]

Wow, I am amazed they splurged and put a rear pipe on this rifle! It is an interesting rifle to see, with the blacksmith-made triggers and guard, and simple but pleasing stocking. Actually, this rifle probably came from PA, based on the soft curvature in its comb. Most southern rifles have a straighter comb line.

Shelby Gallien

[Dennis Glazener]

Interested in knowing if the grease hole is bored on an angle? It looks like it might be but its so dark I can't tell for sure.
Dennis

[tooguns]

Is the grease hole a knot? Great rifle thanks for sharing!

[wabeek]

I believe the architecture (the comb curvature & Lehigh lower stock curve) say eastern  PA.  Many southern hunting rifles came north with the end of the American Civil War but this may not be one of them.
The grease or tallow hole is cut straight in, shows no sign of ever having a knot and measures 11/16" deep, 5/8" up & down and 1 1/4" across.  Inside the hole has it's irregularities as if finished with a small knife yet smooth with likely built up tallow becoming  waxlike...and pitch black.

[Shreckmeister]

Now that's an interesting rifle.  Poor boy made in PA and moved South where it was modified and then came home again.  Or something like that.

[Bob Roller]

Somebody in the long ago needed a simple tool to put meat in the skillet and this was
more than adequate to do it.I really like the extreme simplicity of this type of rifle and
It says a lot was done with few tools and determination.
Bob Roller

[Tanselman]

There appears to be an original vent pick hole in the bottom edge of the butt, suggesting the gun was originally flint.

Shelby Gallien

[Avlrc]

I like it.  Simplicity can be beautiful.  Thanks for sharing.

[Eric Kettenburg]

That is definitely an eastern Berks or Northampton area utility piece.  Also, I think it's a big mistake to assume that because the rough forged guard is a secondary replacement, that it must have gone south.  I've played with quite a number of these eastern PA 'barn guns' that had very similar iron strip guards, or piece of iron strip used for buttplates or partial buttplates, or for all kinds of things.  Utilitarian is utilitarian and I don't think there is any regional dictate on that aspect.  So rather than a fiddle and buck dancing, I would personally envision a hurdy gurdy or (later) accordion and a big pile of sausage!

[Dennis Glazener]

I believe the architecture (the comb curvature & Lehigh lower stock curve) say eastern  PA.  Many southern hunting rifles came north with the end of the American Civil War but this may not be one of them.
The grease or tallow hole is cut straight in, shows no sign of ever having a knot and measures 11/16" deep, 5/8" up & down and 1 1/4" across.  Inside the hole has it's irregularities as if finished with a small knife yet smooth with likely built up tallow becoming  waxlike...and pitch black.

Thanks, neat working man's rifle. My father-in-law was a person that could make most anything out of old stuff laying around the farm. I could easily see him making a rifle like this.
Dennis

[wabeek]

Forgot about that hole under flat of lower stock, it goes in about 1 1/2" & small feather fits & holds.  Underside reminds me....look at wood around trigger guard...straight pencil lines, likely from 'smith's' work? Knew as a kid to respect 'em and leave 'em.  Action between lock and 'Pa Kettle' trigger assembly work.  Barrel has descent bore.
Wonder how many lives this rifle has had! Enjoying retirement many years now!

[wabeek]

Also forgot, note the two nail holes at opposite ends of the mortise & plate.  Earlier but damaged plate?
Your comments are GREAT!  The PA origin makes perfect sense...including the hurdy gurdy and delicious sausage, just no grits!  Thanks guys!!!
    Richard (Wabeek)

[Kevin]

Wabeek,

Thanks for sharing the photos of this piece.  I came into a similar rifle last year and am always interested in see others.  Consider me curious, what is the shape of the barrel tang on your rifle?  The one on mine tapers to a point.

Thanks Again,
Kevin 

[Shreckmeister]

That is definitely an eastern Berks or Northampton area utility piece.  Also, I think it's a big mistake to assume that because the rough forged guard is a secondary replacement, that it must have gone south.  I've played with quite a number of these eastern PA 'barn guns' that had very similar iron strip guards, or piece of iron strip used for buttplates or partial buttplates, or for all kinds of things.  Utilitarian is utilitarian and I don't think there is any regional dictate on that aspect.  So rather than a fiddle and buck dancing, I would personally envision a hurdy gurdy or (later) accordion and a big pile of sausage!

   It was the combination of the iron guard and the grease hole that led me to think it traveled south but who knows

[wabeek]

Wabeek,

Thanks for sharing the photos of this piece.  I came into a similar rifle last year and am always interested in see others.  Consider me curious, what is the shape of the barrel tang on your rifle?  The one on mine tapers to a point.

Thanks Again,
Kevin
[/quote




Kevin,


Tang is a gentle 3 1/4" taper with two screw holes (rear one empty) about 1/2" apart.  Old reinsertd broken piece repair between tang & lockplate maybe evidencing older lock took a hit.

[Kevin]

Wabeek,

Many thanks for the additional information about the barrel tang shape.

Take Care,
Kevin