Mystery Muzzleloader

[natman]

Can anyone shed any light on this unusual percussion muzzleloader? It has a HEAVY octagon barrel. The only marking on the gun is "W. Billinghurst" on the scope. It has a false muzzle. The hammer falls on a threaded hole that I assume is for a percussion nipple.

I hope this isn't too new for this forum. :grin:

 

[RickD]

Wow I`ll be watching for answers

 

[54mountain]

I don't know anything

But I LOVE that gun, Just a guess, looks like a sniper rifle,possibly Civil war. It looks to fit that time period, My first thought was thats beautiful, Next thought was OMG It's an inline. :haha: :thumbsup:

 

[jtmattison]

I don't know what it is but I can't wait to find out. That's a fine looking piece!

HD

 

[rebel727]

I'd say it's a bench rest target rifle.

 

William Billinghurst was a famous maker of fine guns, including target guns like this one and revolving guns of large bore, during the mid to late 1800's. He also made fine fishing reels. Here's one of his cased target rifles... Link

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Looks like a Billinghurst target rifle. Maybe a slug gun. Definitely appropriate for the forum. If the bore is good, or if it can be freshed out, you will be amazed at the accuracy these rifles can produce. Many are in use today.

 

[Ed Wingenroth]

I can’t imagine myself finding such a rare piece of American firearms history !!!

In Ned Roberts book “The Cap-lock Muzzle Loading Rifle” (my Bible) William Billinghurst is revered during that period only to be followed by makers like Pope, Schoyen and such..

If this is not a put-on and your not sitting there with a sick grin on your face, Goggle the name and enjoy your property.. Thanks for sharing the photo’s”¦

Ed”¦.

 

[natman]

I can’t imagine myself finding such a rare piece of American firearms history !!!

In Ned Roberts book “The Cap-lock Muzzle Loading Rifle” (my Bible) William Billinghurst is revered during that period only to be followed by makers like Pope, Schoyen and such..

If this is not a put-on and your not sitting there with a sick grin on your face, Goggle the name and enjoy your property.. Thanks for sharing the photo’s”¦

Ed”¦.

It's the real deal. I looked W. Billinghurst up in Roberts' book and he certainly had a high opinion of Billinghurst and his rifles. I ran across a reference in a different book that some Billinghurst guns used "pill ignition", where a capsule of primer compound was placed in a hole in the breech and held in with wax. I wonder if this rifle used that system and that's why there's no percussion cap present. I will have to look more closely at the hammer. Will post more pics when available.

 

[Idaho Ron]

So,, What does the price tag say? :wink: Ron

 

[gmww]

Wow now that's really interesting.

 

[natman]

So,, What does the price tag say? :wink: Ron

Nothing yet, it's just an inventory number. It's possible that it may be for sale in the near future, but I'd like to establish just what it is first.

 

[gmww]

Can you take more photos please? This is very interesting. :thumbsup:

 

[Ed Wingenroth]

Quite possible that this is one of the first “American” in-line firing systems seen to date ! I say that as I have an in-line 4-mm Garden rifle with Flobert furniture that dates back to 1836. Dixie Gun Works owner Turner Kirkland once told me that no Flobert was ever produced other than for a cartridge but I have the proof otherwise”¦ I wish you luck in your acquisition and would love to see additional photo’s, if & when you have the chance”¦

Ed”¦.

 

[gmww]

I wonder where David Minshall is? He's usually got some ideas. Ohhh David?

 

[fallaloosa]

I don't know anything

But I LOVE that gun, Just a guess, looks like a sniper rifle,possibly Civil war. It looks to fit that time period, My first thought was thats beautiful, Next thought was OMG It's an inline. :haha: :thumbsup:

not a sniper rifle at all. A common misconception many people have is that Civil War snipers carried these heavy barreled 20 pound guns with the false muzzles etc etc, not true. Those guns are waaaaaay to heavy to have been carried by sharpshooters or what is now called snipers. they used either issue weapons or Whitworths which weigh about the same as a regular soldier's rifle. The ones with the heavy barrels, that weigh a ton and have the false muzzles and all the bells and whistles are match rifles made for target shooting off a rest.

 

[natman]

I don't know anything

But I LOVE that gun, Just a guess, looks like a sniper rifle,possibly Civil war. It looks to fit that time period, My first thought was thats beautiful, Next thought was OMG It's an inline. :haha: :thumbsup:

not a sniper rifle at all. A common misconception many people have is that Civil War snipers carried these heavy barreled 20 pound guns with the false muzzles etc etc, not true. Those guns are waaaaaay to heavy to have been carried by sharpshooters or what is now called snipers. they used either issue weapons or Whitworths which weigh about the same as a regular soldier's rifle. The ones with the heavy barrels, that weigh a ton and have the false muzzles and all the bells and whistles are match rifles made for target shooting off a rest.

I would tend to agree. I haven't weighed this yet, but it weighs at least 20 lbs and I wouldn't be surprised if it's over 30. The barrel is huge and untapered and much too heavy to lug around in battle.

 

[TFoley]

FWIW, this rifle also figures on THIS site - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=4603638

Billinghurst was a well-known gun-maker and designer, especially of so-called Buggy-rifles, between 1830 and 1880.

This particular rifle has a very unusual configuration, not one that we ever see over here in UK. In a similar vein, underhammer guns are also not seen here except as curios. Our small-arms inventors spent their enegies perfecting the single-shot percussion rifle during the period in which Billinghurst flourished.

Billinghurst is most famed for his close association with the Billinghurst-Requa battery or volley gun, a precurser to the Gatling gun.

tac

 

[windwalker_au]

natman with your permision i can send copys of your pics to some one that has a lot of books on very early inline guns[circa 1690 onwards] some in flint lock he mite know what it is.
bernie :thumbsup:

 

[natman]

natman with your permision i can send copys of your pics to some one that has a lot of books on very early inline guns[circa 1690 onwards] some in flint lock he mite know what it is.
bernie :thumbsup:

Please do.