identify long rifle

Hi, I have recently acquired a long rifle, 32 caliber squirrel gun and would like to identify location and maker. 40 inch barrel, with no markings accept seven dots on front face of muzzle. can anyone help?

yes, this is a very utilitarian pc. nothing fancy or notable. that's why I came to the experts. hoping someone would recognize maybe the design on front face of the muzzle or the patch box design that would point to a known maker.I have included a photo with as much of the gun as i could get in the picture and a closer look at the lock plate. did not think that would reveal much. unfortunately corrosion from frizzen and powder pan has made most of the writing illegible. amazingly the bore is quite clean. the writing on the lock plate ends with warranted which leads me to believe English manufacture although barrel appears american. would be grateful for any help.

Peter Dunham said:

Hi, I have recently acquired a long rifle, 32 caliber squirrel gun and would like to identify location and maker. 40 inch barrel, with no markings accept seven dots on front face of muzzle. can anyone help?

Click to expand...

The punched-in dots are purely decorative- they do not add anything except a small amount of pizzazz. It is, however, a very nice little gun that surely brought a lot of pleasure to its original owner.

absolutely possible that it is nothing but decorative. still seems distinctive. did you notice that the dots align with the seven grooves of the rifling as if part of the manufacturing process? clutching at straws I know. I have a double barrel flintlock shotgun made in Belgium that screams mountain man era that is initialed J.J. that I have not identified maker also. Frustrating sometimes. but thank you both for your input.

If you take your pictures outside in the daylight they will show much more detail.

Good idea its been raining here for two days. next sunny day I will see what I can get.

Punch decoration of a BP rifle or pistol muzzle -

I see what you mean. here are a few shots in the sunlight.

I’ve seen that same pivoting patchbox on two Allegheny County PA rifles. Andrew Joy and Thomas Allison

The lock is of a style sold in quantity and fairly cheap 'Hardware store' maybe stamped Ashmore warranted. The wood is fairly standard stuff for what I've seen from up north, and the barrel is probably American made, and the whole gun seems to be a working man's gun a couple of notches above a 'shimmel' or a barn gun. Not being an expert by any means, IMHO I would put this piece late in the scheme of things, and it could date from 1800 to the Civil War. In spite of the brass furniture and curly maple stock, it is a plain piece, and would have been a late Pennsylvania style with almost Bedford county lines. Hopefully some vastly more experienced opinions will be shared to further enlighten us

My book "Gunsmiths of Allegheny County" ,Page #32 shows photos of David McCosh rifle. Patch box is dead ringer for the one on your original. However , the caption says other Pgh. , Pa. gunbuilders used the same style box. Also says , this rifle might be a less expensive utilitarian piece.
Total length...60 3/8" , barrel 44 1/2"...34 cal. rifled...wt...10 lb. 6oz.. w/ common round tail perc. lock

Gentlemen, thank you very much. you have confirmed what i thought to be a very utilitarian working pc. I at first guessed ashmore but hard to make out.Had hoped patch box design might lead somewhere. Your specifications for length and weight and caliber are right on. you have also given me the names of some gunmakers I can look into. Again thank you much for your assistance.

The age guess above of 1800 to Civil War is fair. I think it can be narrowed down more. The rounded lock plate isn't seen in the early 1800s. I think the rifle overall screams 1830s maybe +/- 10 years. The lock has been converted/reconverted. The patina of the cock/pan do not match the plate. It is entirely possible this started life as a percussion rifle and was made flintlock later. The single screw attachment also is a late feature. I am sure it is not older than 1820s.

If I had it I would be burning some powder with it , I like it's looks regardless of when or where it came from . Congratulations .

Ditto the above !

I think that it's a very good looking bare bones rifle. Just the kind I like.

Thank you Gentlemen. I plan to do just that come spring.