Civil War Sharpshooters Rifle?

[vtbuck223]

I went to a barn sale this weekend and picked up a few items. As I was leaving I saw a couple of boxes full of old papers, letters, documents, photograpsh”¦etc. So”¦I asked the guy about them and he said that they were from his family”¦.and that it was just junk”¦.he didn’t need the stuff in there so he was just getting rid of it. He let me know that his family was very prominent in the Stoughton, Mass area and he told me a little about them. I bought it really cheap.

When I actually got around to going through it”¦.I was amazed by the great photographs”¦some very old back to the 1850’s”¦.and documents as far back as the 1840’s”¦.interesting correspondence”¦.etc.

Then I came across this handwritten note on an old bank check. This is what it said”¦

“Target Rifle. Percussion, Double Set triggers, Heavy Octagonal 29 ½ “ Barrel, Tot. length 48”. The rifle has a telescopic sight 34 5/8” long. The Case in which this rifle was received is marked “Edwin J. Stanclift “, 3D Div 5th Corps 8th Batt Sharpshooters” The Ralph G. Packard Collection”

So”¦.I turned the check over and handwritten on the back it says this”¦..

“Not made by the Government”¦.Used in Civil War”¦.20 to 30 lb Ocatagon ???”¦.45 cal. Cap Lock with full length Telescope”

And it was signed below with the name and address of the person who was a relative of the man I bought it from and I assume was the new owner of this rifle.

So”¦.I am thinking that this is pretty cool”¦I didn’t have time to look through the rest of the boxes so I set them aside for a couple days. When I did get back to it”¦.I came across some photograhps”¦.still in their original packaging from Dec. 1940.”¦.and much to my surprise”¦.in the midst of the photos there was a picture of the gun described in the note. It was the last thing I expected to find.

I thought folks here might like to hear this story and take a look. Is it possible that someone knows where this rifle is now? Has anyone ever heard of the Ralph G. Packard collection? Any other thoughts or observations?

 

[Tumblernotch]

That rifle looks a lot like the one pictured in "Civil War Guns". It is shown being loaded and fired by John T. Amber, editor of the "Gun Digest". It used a picket ball, requiring a false muzzle. Your picture appears to show a false muzzle. That's a neat find you have there. Wonder where the rifle is now?

 

[greggholmes]

Most if not all of his guns went to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History,

"The "over and under" flintlock gun
in the museum came from the collection of Ralph G. Packard, reportedly a wealthy, world traveling hunter."

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~boyerlinks/boyer_orwigsburg/david_thirdgen.html

 

[nkbj]

Oh my what a coyote gun.

 

[BFJ]

Great story and pictures. Thanks for posting.

BFJ

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very exciting find. My first thought also was a slug (Pickett) type projectile was used in it. Would be great if the rifle could be located and reunited with the provenance.

 

[Stony]

My great grandfather fought in the Civil War as a sharpshooter/sniper. One of my great uncles kept the rifle in his barn and showed it to me several times. It looked similar to the one shown in the photograph. I don't recall a false muzzle and it has been 40 years since I last saw that old gun. My great uncle lived near Saint Joseph MO. and every now and then the Miss would flood and one year it swept away the barn (and the gun ).

 

[redneck]

looks like a billinghst target rifle.

 

[bangfxr]

There is a rifle almost like yours at the 45th Div museum in OKC and a photo of the man who used it in the CW as an old man. Is there a way to get closer shots of the false muzzle, lock, sight and its mounts and the trigger assy. It looks along the lines of the Whitworth sporting rifle made in england.