Rifle found at the museum

[ryth_]

Hi

I work at a museum in Norway, and we came over this rifle in our collection that we know close to nothing about.
It has MILLS engraved on it. It was stolen in 1983, and the thief did some painting and sawing to hide it's identity - which failed and we got it back three years later.

I think it should be from 1890s or before, since the owner lived from 1870-1899, and might have gotten this for his travels.

Do you have any more information about this?






Thanks!

[Tanselman]

Would it be possible to post a picture of the signature "Mills" so we know the style of lettering, and its location on the gun. It appears to be a double rifle. Is the mechanism at the front of the guard with the "finger loop" designed to open the breech for loading, or is this a muzzle loader? Is there any name on either lock plate?  Shelby Gallien

[Hungry Horse]

 I think its obvious that this is a drilling, and the ring forward of the triggerguard is the hammer for the underhammer fired rifle barrel. These were quite popular in the west from after the Civil War, until muzzleloaders went out of style.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

I think its obvious that this is a drilling, and the ring forward of the triggerguard is the hammer for the underhammer fired rifle barrel. These were quite popular in the west from after the Civil War, until muzzleloaders went out of style.

  Hungry Horse

Yup! I'm not sure how "popular" Drillings were, however smoothbores did gain a foothold amongst travelers-West, it seems, according to "Firearms of the American West 1866-1894".

[Bill Paton]

This drilling has nipples and a ram rod. Seems like it’s probably a muzzle loader . “Mills” is visible on the left lock plate. There are “Mills” listed in Heer Der Neue Stockel in several states, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada. Sellers has 22 entries. None note specific lock makers.  The stock and sling mounts certainly look European. Interesting piece.

Bill Paton

[Levy]

Some percussion drillings were made by Slotterbeck in California, I believe.  James Levy

[Tim Crosby]

 Looks like the ring has something to do with hammer selection

   Tim C.

[Hungry Horse]

James, you are so right, Charles Slotterbeck made double rifles as well as a few drillings. I alway wondered where he got those skills, because I’ve seen quite a few of his doubles, and have never seen one he made when he wasn’t living in Lake County. I recently saw pictures of another double rifle made in Lake County by a smith named Kelsey, so maybe Charlie learned the ins, and outs of double guns right here in Lake County. There was another gunsmith in Red Bluff during the same period that made multi barreled guns.

  Hungry Horse

[ryth_]

Would it be possible to post a picture of the signature "Mills" so we know the style of lettering, and its location on the gun. It appears to be a double rifle. Is the mechanism at the front of the guard with the "finger loop" designed to open the breech for loading, or is this a muzzle loader? Is there any name on either lock plate?  Shelby Gallien

Hi! If you click on the second picture, you can see the signature there. No other names from what I can see

[ryth_]

It's registered as a percussion muzzleloaded rifle in the 50's when it came to the museum.
So you think it was made by Charles Slotterbeck?

[Hungry Horse]

No way Charles Slotterbeck made this gun. The stock architecture is wrong, and it has a cheekpiece. Also Slotterbeck signed his work, and often made his own locks, which he also signed.

  Hungry Horse

[huntinguy]

look closely at the pictures.
I would say it has two smooth bore barrels and a third underhammer barrel that would be rifled.
that ring is a hammer for the lower barrel. look closely where the ramrod it. it is beside the lower barrel.
pretty nice gun. Someone spent a lot of money on that back in the day.

[ryth_]

No way Charles Slotterbeck made this gun. The stock architecture is wrong, and it has a cheekpiece. Also Slotterbeck signed his work, and often made his own locks, which he also signed.

  Hungry Horse

Where would it be signed normally?

[ryth_]

Added a picture I forgot. It's engraved with the owners name. Nicolai Hanson. First person to be buried on the Antarctic.
He was a zoologist, and they traveled from England in 1898 towards the Antartic. He might have gotten the gun then, or he bought it himself before since he worked for the British Museum a short period of time.

[Hungry Horse]

Charles Slotterbeck signed his barrel on the top flat either in engraved script, or with a stamp, and usually where the gun was made. His brother signed his guns Slotter  & Co.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

ryth_ if this rifle/drilling is signed by the maker, that should be on the rib between the rear sight and the breech plug. 
The name MILLS on the lock will be the lock maker only.  Some makers of guns and locks, like John Blissett of England, signed locks yet sold them to other gun makers
such as J. Hollis. I have the lock and barrel of just such a piece. The top flat (single barreled fowler) is signed J. Hollis and Son London, yet it's lock is signed Blissett.

[Hungry Horse]

 You said the museum had gotten the gun in the 50’s that must have been the last time anybody bothered to oil it. In my experience local museums, or any museum that has firearms with no designated firearms curator is about one click better than leaving them in the barn. I’m the president of the local museum support organization, and I got my start working with the museum twenty years ago, cleaning and oiling, the museums gun collection.

  Hungry Horse