Kentucky Rifle ID Details

[JKPope]

My father is law came across this rifle, and apparently the owner has no issues parting with it. I could use some help identifying it from the pictures and description he gave me. The barrel is 44", and rifle is 59" overall. He put a caliper in the bore, and estimates it as a .54 Cal. Some rust and pitting on the tang, barrel, and inside the bore. The marks I need help with are a stamped pheasant on the lock, along with the letters "L.C.C & L." Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[rafterob]

Not sure if that lock is original-maybe a flint conversion? Also the tiger stripe looks to me like an artificial job, which was common in some original rifles. take the barrel out and see if there are any markings on the underside. trigger guard to trigger plate is a bad fit-see how it is bent over the plate? It is either an older replica build that was not maintained well or an original rifle that may have been reworked a time or two.

 

[redwing]

The barrel looks like a smooth bore? Does it have a rifled barrel? The muzzle looks thin for a rifle. Many old rifles were bored smooth after the rifling was gone.

 

[dyemaker]

There is an Ohio rifle maker listed as LATIMER, GOULD, COLBURN, AND LUPTON. It's a longshot I know.

 

[J.D.]

The lock appears to be a hardware store lock, so little can be learned from the inscription on the lockplate.

A full lock side photo, and a half side photo, of buttplate to in front of the lock panel, is needed to make any kind of educated guess of what this piece might be.

God bless

 

[JKPope]

So after a phone call to Dixie Gun Works, it is a Latimer, Colburn & Lupton lock from Cincinatti anywhere from 1856-1861. Apparently they only made locks, and then put them on other barrels and/or stocks, so I'll probably never find out all the details. As for the bore, it looked like a smooth bore to me as well. Never thought about the rifleing wearing out, but it's certainly a possibility. I only have access to the photos, so I can't go taking it apart. Still waiting to see if the guy throws a number at me.

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

 

[Dphar]

So after a phone call to Dixie Gun Works, it is a Latimer, Colburn & Lupton lock from Cincinatti anywhere from 1856-1861. Apparently they only made locks, and then put them on other barrels and/or stocks, so I'll probably never find out all the details. As for the bore, it looked like a smooth bore to me as well. Never thought about the rifleing wearing out, but it's certainly a possibility. I only have access to the photos, so I can't go taking it apart. Still waiting to see if the guy throws a number at me.

Thanks for all the input from everyone.

It would take a cleaning and bore scope or at least a careful look to know but it could have vestiges of rifling but it may have been bored smooth.
Many "lock makers" actually imported locks from England, marked them with their name or had them marked in Birmingham and sold them.

Dan

 

[dyemaker]

But you lost a "C." somewhere. I just looked in the AOLRC site at their list of gunmakers. Are you sure they identified it correctly?
:hmm:

 

[JKPope]

It's actually L.G.C.&L. The "G" must have worn off enough to look like a C. Found an old question/answer from '02 to halfway validate what I found. If anyone's interested the site is http://www.gabelguns.com/QuestionsAndAnswers/ViewQuestion.asp?QuestionNumber=1291
I think I'm getting pretty close.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Made somewhere in Ohio, 1850-70's.