An early rifle by Jost Herbach. It is depicted in a few books including Gunsmiths of York County by James Whisker on page 84, Selected Articles from the KRA Bulletin by the Kentucky Rifle Association, pages 343-345, and Maryland Longrifles by Hartzler and Whisker, pages 294-295. There is also biographical information regarding Jost Herbach in those sources. The flintlock appears to have been on the rifle forever, but it's not the original lock. The stock is Cherry. Using George Shumways measurement system the rifle has the following dimensions:
A - 57 3/4"
B - 42"
C - 13 1/2"
D - 1 3/64"
E - 1 7/8"
F - 4 1/2"
G - 2 3/16"
H - 1 25/64"
I - 1 29/64"
J - 1 11/16"
K - 3 3/4"
L - 1 7/32"
M - 3 1/4"
N - 16 3/16"
O - 29 3/16"
P - 5 1/32"
Q - .55 caliber
R - 7
S - Approx. 1/48
The barrel is swamped and is 1 3/64" at the breech, 53/64" at the thinnest point, and 29/32" at the muzzle.
Comments:
Wonder if this is the Herbach rifle that was in a west coast collection until a few years ago?
There is only one (or two at the most) rifle by this maker that anyone knows about and he was an accomplished builder in York County. It definitely belongs in the Library as an early, rare rifle. So, send it on!
A rather large framed document once accompanied this rifle that involved Herbach in a land transaction in the 1700s. Hope that they are still together.
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I agree, was once a fine gun,,,, but sad to see it with a black paint repair job.
