Thomas Oldham double rifle

[Mark Elliott]

I am posting this for Dick Gadler.   I am sure he will comment further.

This rifle was made by Thomas Oldham of Bedford County. PA, most likely in the early 1840s, before he went to Iowa.
Curiously, the gun has different calibers and both barrels are rifled. One looks to be about .44 and the other at .48
The barrels are 34 inches in length and each has its own sights, but there is some stripe.
The stock appears to be mostly plain maple.
This is a fairly heavy rifle, about 12 pounds.
Jim Whisker conjectured that this rifle was used principally for hunting bear.
Photography courtesy of Dr. Bill Paton. Thanks Doc!

[WESTbury]

It's interesting that one barrel has seven lands and grooves and the other eight.

[Bill Paton]

Kent,

 In Kentucky double rifles, dissimilar rifling usually means one barrel is twist rifled and one is straight rifled. In this Oldham, the right 7 groove barrel is right twist, and the left 8 groove barrel is straight rifled.

Bill Paton

[snapper]

Any idea on the purpose of having straight rifling?

FLeener

[Bill Paton]

Snapper,

Try this ALR thread from 2017: Title: Straight Rifling -- Need some info.
Post by: 3 swans on February 12, 2017, 05:33:04 PM

It will probably leave you guessing, too.

Bill Paton


Here's a link to that discussion....  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=43007.0

[WESTbury]

Bill--Thanks for all the info and the great photo showing the rifling patterns.

[jdm]

Thanks for posting this rare Bedford  rifle . I have seen one or two other side by side Bedford county guns before .  There workmanship does not compare with this one. Plus the bonus of a great signed barrel on this one.