Ideas on region or even builder of rifle

[yellowhousejake]

I have a coworker whom I have conserved several old guns for and he asked me to take at look at this rifle. He only wanted to know if it was anything special. By the way he talked about it I expected an old TC to be handed to me. He said it always sat by his Dad's fireplace and they used to play with it as kids. His father remembers firing the gun with his father back in the fifties.

I was surprised at what he brought me. The stock is sound but the barrel is worse than sewer pipe, the erosion around the drum is very bad. Several screws have been replaced with hardware store items and the lock has a broken sear spring. I will not approve it being fired.

The stock is excellent condition.
Furniture (butt plate, trigger guard, nose cap, escutcheons) are all tight and well fitting.
The barrel key escutcheons have no visible screws or pins holding them on, and I looked hard with raking light.
The ramrod appears to be original, hickory, tapered the last 10 inches.
The tumbler has no half cock notch.
The barrel is unmarked other than six numeral 4s on the bottom.
Under rib is formed steel and riveted on. The two center rivets are missing.
The brass nosecap has brass screws and appear to be original. They are well finished flush.
The triggers are double acting but the forward spring is a crude replacement that covers the forward mounting hole, that screw is missing.
Single lock nail is a hardware store replacement.
Both bridle screws are brass electrical screws.
Barrel is 36" long.
Overall length is 52 3/4".

The rifle appears to have been very well made and well cared for until it began it's life as a decoration by the fireplace. The rifle has been in Indiana, and this family, since at least the early nineteen fifties. Honest stories about it's history are muddy and incomplete.

Any suggestions as to time period, builder, region, would be helpful. Thank you for looking.

DAve

[Tanselman]

The rifle looks a lot like an Indiana half-stock based on its walnut stock, slight fish-belly in the lower butt line, rather short forestock, and guard style wit that "droopy" rear double-spur on the guard... which years ago was often referred to as an "Indiana style guard" here in the Midwest. But to be fair, it appears elsewhere as well. These very plain rifles are somewhat hard to date, since the style was used over a couple of decades. I'd think it most likely dates to about 1860.

You did not mention if there was any type of a name or barrel stamp on the top flat of the barrel a few inches behind the rear sight. If there is anything there, even if worn, please post it, since it will help identify the maker and more accurately document where it was made.

Shelby Gallien

[yellowhousejake]

Shelby,

Your thoughts mirror mine but, I am not even a beginner at identifying these things. Nice to know I suspected correctly.

There are no other marks than the six 4s on the bottom flat. The lock is too corroded to make out the cast in engraved name and I carefully checked the back of the lock plate and all barrel flats with raking light. Nothing there. In the barrel channel there are no marks as well. Though, the tools marks are quite evident and interesting to inspect.

Thank you for your response.

DAve