Author Topic: Southern Mountain Rifle - Show me what you got (Read 7929 times)

cshirsch · « **Reply #50 on:** March 22, 2025, 04:31:53 PM »

This is one of my favorite southern rifles. Made by Samuel Lafayette Click. He was a very interesting character. He worked in Tennessee and Virginia. Read the excerpt from the Foxfire 5 book included here.

Dan Herda · « **Reply #51 on:** March 22, 2025, 07:42:43 PM »

This rifle was bought last fall and has a D Sheets j engraved signature on top barrel flat. No entry pipe or butt plate. rr pipes and nose cap of brass. Forged iron trigger guard.
I’m guessing the j is for junior but haven’t been able to find any listing of a D Sheets junior. This was located in Ks and there was a D Sheets that had relocated to Mo. Lots of drop at toe like many I see on this thread.
Like 9.5”
About .36/.38 cal and coned to about .40,swamped barrel.

Dan Herda · « **Reply #52 on:** March 22, 2025, 07:50:38 PM »

A better shot of the j in signature.

Longknife · « **Reply #53 on:** March 23, 2025, 05:40:18 PM »

LF LEGG 1886 on the barrel.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #54 on:** May 23, 2025, 06:14:25 AM »

Ambrose Lawing. Unique brass overlay triggerguard.

cshirsch · « **Reply #55 on:** May 23, 2025, 07:04:40 PM »

OK, here's a very unique Tennessee rifle from my collection. I call it my 'Sawtooth Rifle'. The inscription on the silver inlay in the barrel reads, "Wm Miller the shooter of Tenn" with a date beside that of 1857. The rifle was shot so much that they shortened the breach end a small amount due to the corrosion from the caps. Then, it was fired a lot more to create a large amount of corrosion again. I do not know who William Miller was but he must have been quite a marksman!

gibster · « **Reply #56 on:** May 23, 2025, 10:20:26 PM »

Everyone is putting up some great southern eye candy for sure. Here is a Wm. N. Beals. I haven't had it very long, but I sure do like it.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #57 on:** May 23, 2025, 11:07:12 PM »

Another William N. Beals.

Robby · « **Reply #58 on:** May 25, 2025, 01:44:10 PM »

Beautiful!!!!!
Robby

rich pierce · « **Reply #59 on:** May 25, 2025, 02:24:34 PM »

The guard construction on the second one looks different and a style I want to try. Looks like the rail is mortised into the rear of the bow, and the front of the bow mortised into the forward extension. Am I seeing it right? Any sign of braze or do you think it’s riveted or welded or both?

Tanselman · « **Reply #60 on:** May 25, 2025, 11:41:48 PM »

Sequatchie,

Your posted A. Lawing rifle with a brass colored guard was described as "brass overlay." Based on similar guards made in southeastern KY just above the TN line, guards like this were actually made out of three strips of solid brass and riveted together to make a TN style guard. I can see one rivet on the back of your bow, but your guard may have also been soldered since joints are smoothed so well. In KY it is easy to see the three pieces used to construct the guard, and the rivets holding them together.
One KY maker, William Hall in Floyd Co., actually cast a couple TN style guards that look like this... that had to be tough!

Shelby Gallien

NDduckhunter · « **Reply #61 on:** May 26, 2025, 04:37:21 PM »

This is a great thread, I love looking at the cheek pieces to see what carving if any was used. I’ve build 3 southern mountain rifles from kits I’m trying to be more correct with every build. The two grooves in the cheek seem to be the most common embellishment and they seem to vary a lot when it comes to the groove depth and contours. To all you original SMR owners posting pictures, thank you so much!!! It’s very helpful to us novices.

Hungry Horse · « **Reply #62 on:** May 26, 2025, 05:12:18 PM »

The sawtooth rifle is reminiscent of the work of a gunsmith whose last name is Bible that worked in Tennessee. The long extensions on the buttplate, long slim sawtoothed patch box, and the back action lock are extremely similar.

Hungry Horse

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #63 on:** May 26, 2025, 05:21:01 PM »

I had a few folks who are knowledgeable about these east Tennessee gunsmiths tell me they thought it was brass overlay on iron. I no longer have the rifle so it would be difficult to check. It certainly is possible that it is solid brass that is riveted. I recall thinking the overlay was much more work, and would take some real talent. The wear on the guard looked more like overlay. This rifle was purchased from the Washington State Historical Association in the 1970s. It was donated to them by descendants of a pioneer family and it made the wagon trip west with them.

bama · « **Reply #64 on:** May 27, 2025, 05:20:25 AM »

I had a Jonathan Gross rifle that had an iron guard with brass overlay.

bluenoser · « **Reply #65 on:** May 27, 2025, 04:01:13 PM »

Attributed to the elder Pete Howell, Yancy Co., NC. Previously thought to be a Unicoi Co., TN piece and identified as such in the library. Note the unusual method of attaching the lock. There was never a lock nail. One might think this method inadequate, but the lock is still as solidly in place as the day the rifle was built.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #66 on:** May 27, 2025, 06:05:29 PM »

I had a rifle with the same marked lock that was attached the same way. I recall seeing this rifle before when it was discussed years ago on this forum. Seems an odd way of attaching the lock.

bluenoser · « **Reply #67 on:** May 27, 2025, 06:14:25 PM »

It is indeed and yours is the only other rifle I have heard of that had that method of lock attachment. Not surprising that it would be another Pete Howell.
Could you post pics?

A Scanlan · « **Reply #68 on:** May 27, 2025, 08:14:09 PM »

John Painter, Botetourt County VA also used a wood screw from the right side on some of his works.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #69 on:** May 27, 2025, 10:07:56 PM »

Quote from: bluenoser on May 27, 2025, 06:14:25 PM

It is indeed and yours is the only other rifle I have heard of that had that method of lock attachment. Not surprising that it would be another Pete Howell.
Could you post pics?

I no longer have the rifle, but will look to see if I still have the photos.

AZshot · « **Reply #70 on:** May 27, 2025, 10:35:00 PM »

This is one of my favorites, attributed to Jacob Gross II by Dave Byrd. This one was signed, there is an empty rectangle where the silver plate used to be, on the top of the barrel. It was gone a long time, by the patina in the slot, when I got the gun.

cshirsch · « **Reply #71 on:** May 28, 2025, 06:06:46 PM »

Quote from: Hungry Horse on May 26, 2025, 05:12:18 PM

The sawtooth rifle is reminiscent of the work of a gunsmith whose last name is Bible that worked in Tennessee. The long extensions on the buttplate, long slim sawtoothed patch box, and the back action lock are extremely similar.

Hungry Horse

Where can I find photos of the Bible rifles you are referring to? I have a pistol by Elbert Bible.
Chris

Spalding · « **Reply #72 on:** May 28, 2025, 06:48:08 PM »

I’ve noticed this feature on other Southern rifles that bluenoser posted, is this a two piece tang? Is the rear tang dovetailed or slotted to fit under the barrel tang?
Bob

bluenoser · « **Reply #73 on:** May 29, 2025, 02:58:58 AM »

Quote from: Spalding on May 28, 2025, 06:48:08 PM

I’ve noticed this feature on other Southern rifles that bluenoser posted, is this a two piece tang? Is the rear tang dovetailed or slotted to fit under the barrel tang?
Bob

It is a break. I suspect it is an all too common occurrence when trying to remove a barrel with one of those long narrow tangs.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #74 on:** May 29, 2025, 05:16:17 PM »

Restocked Jacob Gross.

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Author Topic: Southern Mountain Rifle - Show me what you got (Read 7929 times)