Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader - The Firearms Forum

Slick40 · 09-05-2012, 09:58 AM

Can anyone give me information on this gun?

The only markings that I can see on it is a very faint NEW YORK stamped on the top of the barrel. Also, the gun has an octogon shapped barrel with riffling.

Attached are some pictures.

Thanks for your help.

Slick40 · 09-05-2012, 10:00 AM

Can anyone give me information on this gun?

The only markings that I can see on it is a very faint NEW YORK stamped on the top of the barrel. Also, the gun has an octogon shapped barrel with riffling.

deadin · 09-05-2012, 10:44 AM

Slick,
You rifle would be classified as a Half Stock Sporting Rifle or, possibly, a Plains Rifle. (Mainly determined by caliber.) The barrel marking may indicate where it was made or just where the barrel was made. Many of these half stocks were made by what I call "Winter Gunsmiths" (They would work the farm in the summer and supplement their income in the winter by building rifles.) Most of the parts could be ordered via mail (Barrel, lock and brass castings for the patch box, trigger guard and buttplate.) What the maker did was carving the stock and finishing the cast parts. Some built their own locks and or barrels. (I have examples of both.) Without a makers name, they are almost impossible to trace. A few were marked, most weren't. Many times a name found on the lock or barrel merely indicates the commercial source that part was ordered from. The half stock percussion types were made from around 1840 all the way up to the end of the percussion era around the turn of the century.
You might post your questions and pictures on The American Longrifle forum.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=3.0

Jim K · 09-05-2012, 03:01 PM

Many rifles of that era had barrels made by Remington, Ilion, New York. You might look to see if that fits anything you can see.

FWIW, that stock has been refinished and the screws holding the patch box may not be original. Most patchbox screws and screws of any kind at that time were iron; modern "restorers" think brass looks better and replace the old (and possibly rusty) iron screws with brass.

Jim

Slick40 · 09-05-2012, 04:26 PM

Great! Thank you all for the information.

09-05-2012, 09:58 AM	#1
Slick40 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader Can anyone give me information on this gun? The only markings that I can see on it is a very faint NEW YORK stamped on the top of the barrel. Also, the gun has an octogon shapped barrel with riffling. Attached are some pictures. Thanks for your help. Attached Images -->

09-05-2012, 10:00 AM	#2
Slick40 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Re: Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader Can anyone give me information on this gun? The only markings that I can see on it is a very faint NEW YORK stamped on the top of the barrel. Also, the gun has an octogon shapped barrel with riffling. Attached Images Last edited by Slick40; 09-05-2012 at 10:01 AM.. Reason: correction picture ref

09-05-2012, 10:44 AM	#3
deadin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 867	Re: Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader Slick, You rifle would be classified as a Half Stock Sporting Rifle or, possibly, a Plains Rifle. (Mainly determined by caliber.) The barrel marking may indicate where it was made or just where the barrel was made. Many of these half stocks were made by what I call "Winter Gunsmiths" (They would work the farm in the summer and supplement their income in the winter by building rifles.) Most of the parts could be ordered via mail (Barrel, lock and brass castings for the patch box, trigger guard and buttplate.) What the maker did was carving the stock and finishing the cast parts. Some built their own locks and or barrels. (I have examples of both.) Without a makers name, they are almost impossible to trace. A few were marked, most weren't. Many times a name found on the lock or barrel merely indicates the commercial source that part was ordered from. The half stock percussion types were made from around 1840 all the way up to the end of the percussion era around the turn of the century. You might post your questions and pictures on The American Longrifle forum. http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?board=3.0

09-05-2012, 03:01 PM	#4
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader Many rifles of that era had barrels made by Remington, Ilion, New York. You might look to see if that fits anything you can see. FWIW, that stock has been refinished and the screws holding the patch box may not be original. Most patchbox screws and screws of any kind at that time were iron; modern "restorers" think brass looks better and replace the old (and possibly rusty) iron screws with brass. Jim

09-05-2012, 04:26 PM	#5
Slick40 Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 3	Re: Looking for Information on Muzzle Loader Great! Thank you all for the information.