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Any info on the S. Sweitner made gun appreciated

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I had this posted in another forum and had no luck and a couple members suggested that I try here.

Just picked this up at a yard sale today and am wondering if anyone has any info as to maker and age type etc.

Brass trigger guard and butt plate, Iron ram rod thimbles. Still cleaning the bore, measures .54 cal.

Any info appreciated as I did not find anything online, THANKS I can post more/different pictures if needed.


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Two cheek pieces is interesting. I seem to recall some Ohio guns with that feature.
 
Good chance this rifle was made by Samuel Sweitzer in Indiana. He was born in PA in 1805, worked for a period of time in mid-1840s in NY, then moved to Fountain Co., Indiana, and by 1860 census was in St. Joseph Co. in northern Indiana.

Despite the large, smooth bore, this gun began life as a rifle based on its rifle sights and octagon barrel. It was later bored out to use shot on smaller animals when all the larger game was killed off.
I'd estimate the gun to be from about 1850 with the double cheekpieces, but it still retains a nice butt shape and attractive guard, probably carried over from his early PA days. It's a nice gun with attractive lines and deserves to be put back into respectable condition... but probably not shootable condition due to the large, reamed out bore.

Shelby Gallien
 
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Thank you so much Tanselman.
That was exactly what I was looking for.
I hope to get it back to respectable condition like you said.
I got the gun in southern Wisconsin.
That info makes it much more enjoyable for me to work on this rifle.
 
I wondered about the name , there are 4 Sweitzer's in my book, but no S Sweitzer . It does show there were Sweitzer gunsmiths working in Pa that era.:
A Sweitzer making flintlocks in Pa,
Charles Sweitzer making heavy percussion rifles , Mauch Chunk, Carbon County , Pa 1864-75 .
Daniel Sweitzer & co Lock maker Lancaster Pa 1808 until1813 or later , West of the Courthouse on the road to Millerstown .
John Sweitzer - Gunmaker on Perry st , Attica , Fountain County Ind 1861-1880
There must be a family link in there .
 
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