Reading Patchbox

[lexington1]

Here are a couple pics of an early Reading smoothrifle patchbox. Has anyone ever seen a box like this before? I thought it was a unusual spring set up and had never seen one like it before.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Are you referring to the catch spring?  If so, other counties used this device too.  Here's a JP Beck box and release and I've seen several Northhampton rifles with similar catches.

[Eric Kettenburg]

John Moll

[lexington1]

Thanks! I thought it was a tad unusual, but that's not unusual for me  What about the box in general?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I'd say the box in general is pretty simple and nothing out of the ordinary...a fairly deep cavity with lid catch spring and kicker spring.  The patchbox is also a simple two piece design common to a multitude of longrifles from many schools.

[Lucky R A]

       Hi Wes,  Not unusual for that southeast PA area.  I think what you might be seeing as unusual is the interior shape of the box cavity.  I would guess that that as originally intended the interior shape would have been much like Taylor's  Beck style box, but w/o the ledge to set the release spring.   The maker had to remove material at the top rear to allow the spring to flex upward to release the box.  The amount of wood taken out at the back whether by mistake or design is a little on the crude side.  Of course we do know when the extra wood became missing or who may have messed with it. 
Ron