C. H Beach Rifle (michigan)

[Wmasswolf]

Picked up this rifle from an estate today. Marked CH Beach - 39" barrel, .36 caliber, has a weak mainspring, but ive already fixed that with a replacement. Love to see other upper midwest guns!

[Tanselman]

Boy, that sure looks like a New York rifle with its single trigger, stock architecture, and "anchor" lock bolt washer. Did Beech work in NY at some time in his career?
I'm guessing some MI gunsmiths got there by way of New York. Shelby Gallien

[DGB]

My  Claudius Beach is Michigan marked but looks 100% New Yorkish. Halfstock, double set triggers,perch belly etc.
Beach has been listed as being in Ohio previous to Michigan.

Regards,
Dave

[eleejr]

Information on Find a Grave suggests that he was born 19 Jun 1815 in Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York and relocated to Marshall Michigan in 1844.

[Robby]

A lot of people in western Ny went to Michigan, especially after the Erie canal opened. Lots of towns of the same names too.
I like the gun, nice lines. I like the name impression too, about as crisp and clean a stamping as I ever seen.
Robby gun,

[Wmasswolf]

Boy, that sure looks like a New York rifle with its single trigger, stock architecture, and "anchor" lock bolt washer. Did Beech work in NY at some time in his career?
I'm guessing some MI gunsmiths got there by way of New York. Shelby Gallien

He was born in new york state and did his apprenticeship in western NY before moving to Ohio, then settling in Michigan.

[OLUT]

Lots of info on him in both Swinney's NYS books and in Michigan Gunsmiths ..... he made all sorts of interesting firearms and they are found today fairly commonly. As previously noted they carry the look of his early Western  New York State training. Per Swinney, the notation that Beach worked in Ohio is questionable. My swivel breech gun has a serial number 171 on it next to his Marshall, Mich. stamp, so it looks like he started numbering his guns somewhere  along the line

[Wmasswolf]

Thanks for the direction! I'll def look it up.

[JCKelly]

In 1860 49 out 0of 122 gunsmiths listed as such in the Michigan census were from New York.  Likewise NY contributed the most in general to the MI population.
Claudius Beach, born about 1815 in East Bloomfield, NY, left for Marshal, Michigan about 1844. Beach died in MI  Aug 26, 1888.
This O/U deeply rifled .45 Beach returned to MI from S. Dakota was likely used on heavy Western game.
All from the book Michigan Gunsmiths, copyright 2013, by James Kelly and Dorr N. Wiltse, Jr.
Dorr has been studying Michigan guns for maybe 70 years now, I for only 20. None of the other Michigan "experts" ever bothered to write anything and/or their notes have been lost to second wives. So guys, Wiltse and Kelly are what ya got.