For those who happen to live in the general area, and you want to see first hand a genuine early American rifle, RCA #132 is on display at Dixie Gun Works. Apparently it has been there forever.... if I had known that, I'd have gone there a long time ago just to see it!
I had only been there like once before... probably about 1990. My travels take me right by there often now, so today I decided to stop. Glad I did.
The gun is displayed in a glass case that you can see all the way around the gun fairly well, considering. I did not presume to take photos, figuring they probably wouldn't like it. Very interesting to see in person. Fantastic gun, really, and it seems to get little or no attention today.
My personal feeling is that it is Berks county, ca. 1770. I'm not dogmatic about it, but for myself, I'm reasonably certain. Too many Berks-isms to ignore. The whole gun has a full, round feel. The fore end is replaced ahead of the lower rod pipe, but the rest of the forearm appears to be all original from there back. Thick, wide, ROUND forearm... very Berksy. None of this thin, tapered out to nearly nothin' stuff. The wrist also has an obvious oval appearance.. Wider than high. It's not much, but it is apparent. Very round through the lock area forward into the forearm. I noticed how heavily worn the comb is forward of the buttplate. That's a lot of cheek rubbing. Pretty kooky rear sight... appears to have applied "wings" on either side to make sort of buckhorns. Both are bent forward, as I recall. I could not see underneath it well enough to see what the rear ramrod pipe finial looks like, or if there is any kind of carving left there.
Definitely worth a look if you are interested in such "early" guns, if you happen to be in the area.
