Nelson Lewis Buggy Rifle - History Mystery

[Big6ft6]

Hello all. I've recently been bitten by the traditional muzzleloading "bug" after finding and acquiring what appears to be a Nelson Lewis buggy rifle. Like a good childhood fantasy story I found this in my grandpas basement next to the boiler above the oil tank, and after many years of secret desire I made my grandpa and offer and bought it from him. Now I'm consumed by a mission to learn more about this gun and the history it represents.

 

[Big6ft6]

The first mystery I'm trying to solve to determine if this a N. Lewis gun, or just an N. Lewis barrel? I cannot find any references to other N. Lewis guns with box-style locks. The barrel has the appropriate "N. Lew Troy Maker" stamped on barrel.

 

[nkbj]

Can certainly understand your fascination with that one. Might photos be possible of the parts going together?

 

[Big6ft6]

The second mystery I'm trying to solve is how the peep sight attached to the gun.
As you can see in the photo of the box, the peep is threaded through a metal arm.

The opposite end of the metal arm has a smaller hole that is broken.

There is only one hole anywhere on the rifle(pistol?). The hole is on top of the receiver directly above the hammer axle. You can see it in the photo below.

The hole on top of the receiver is threaded and appears to be the same diameter as the broken end of the arm that the peep sight is threaded into. One would assume maybe this arm would attach to the hole and then cantilever rearward as I've tried to mock up in this photo using a zip tie.

But this has a bunch of issues. First the hole is on a sloping part of the receiver, if one was to tighten a flat bar, like the arm holding the peep, against this hole it would result in the peep arm angling downward towards the stock as you can see in my mock up. Second there is very little room for peep adjustment before the threaded peep stem would hit the backstrap of the pistol. Also it would be absurdly unsupported. There is nothing to keep the peep arm from rotating around the single attachment screw which would undoubtedly occur with the slightest recoil, it would seem a very poor design for a firearm designed for bench shooting with super-fine accuracy being the objective. I feel like there is a missing piece of the puzzle, any ideas?

 

[Big6ft6]

 

[cynthialee]

needs some cleaning but light cleaning, don't wanna mess up the patina
Seems that old look is worth something to some folks. :youcrazy:

I noticed there is a false muzzle in the box with it.

 

[Big6ft6]

Yep, false muzzle included.

I'm reading Ned Roberts book on the cap lock muzzle loader. But prior to the last few weeks I've never been much interested in muzzleloaders other than occasionally looking at the rifles in a cabela's catalog.

I'm hoping some of you who are versed in history and been long into this hobby can point me to other good N. Lewis resources or maybe even photos of N. Lewis guns with a similar peep setup or with a box-lock type of action. Or just generally history that might help me narrow down the background of this gun.

 

[cynthialee]

I wish I could help. I am just a backyard shooter. But that is a really spiffy looking gun.

If you never shot BP you should try it out some day. It is a nice change of pace from the hectic go go go life we live today. With these guns you have to take your time.


I notice in that box there is one bullet left. Did a bullet mold come with it?
Did any possibles come with that deal you made with your grandpa?

 

[Big6ft6]

If I can find any more, I could have them. He is 89 years old, still mentally sound but struggling through colon cancer. He cannot recall details of this gun, other than it was handed down. I've done some work on my family tree and my G-G-G grandfather was born and raised 14 miles from Nelson Lewis's shop, he was also the family member who came to Wisconsin so he could've brought this with him. There is room in the box for a bullet mold, starter, and and patch cutter which would've been standard for N. Lewis. My grandpa thought maybe we could look out in the old bee cellar for the bullet mold...it would be AMAZING to find that as they were custom made by Lewis' team for each gun.

 

[jaybird14]

That is toooo cool. I received a .30-40 Krag that way and had to learn / research as much info as I could. I was consumed by it. If you love history it does not get any better.

Jay

 

[Ed Wingenroth]

Yep, super project !!! First assure it's not loaded (measure the bore length with a rod) 2nd, don't assume that tang sight came with the Pistol, if the owners lived that close to the manufactures, perhaps they tried to up- grade it at one time... I see it has a rear sight on the Barrel....Micro-photo's of each part and area would be great for your album when you catalog it :v

Put a web-page together so as you research it you can reference it to save time... Include in your search not only club's but auction house's and other antique dealers.. Remember, this could take quite some time !!!

Last, I would NOT try to clean any part of this fine old set !!! It is much more desirable as it is... Don't try to shoot it !!!

Good Luck !!

Ed.....

Ps; run this on the hand-gun post of this site !!!

 

[mhb]

It is most likely that the tang sight screws directly into the hole in the receiver, rather than being attached via an extension, which would be subject to movement left and right, as well as being much less rigid.

It is also probable that the piece was intended for the picket bullet with linen patch, and that, in addition to the bullet mold, there would also have been a swage - I hope you can find either or both.

That is a fine and rather rare target gun, and Nelson Lewis was one of the best makers of his era.

Were it mine, and the bore in good condition, you may well believe I'd shoot it!

mhb - Mike

 

[Rifleman1776]

Very intriguing find. Don't assume that peep sight belongs with the gun, it may not. Or the peep might screw directly into the breech and that piece of metal is for something else.
Personally, I would clean up and, if safe, make into a shooter.

 

[Big6ft6]

thanks all for your shared enthusiasm! I'm excited to hold in my hands something that may have been held by many generations of my ancestors!

It is unloaded and clear checked with rod, and can send air from muzzle and it flows out the nipple.

I've also considered the possibility that the peep screwed directly into the hole in the receiver, here are the observations that have lead me to consider otherwise.

1) The threaded hole in the receiver is too small to accept the peep sight post

2) The threaded hole in the receiver is directly above the lock mechanism and would provide little room for adjustment before interfering with internal workings of the lock

3) A peep sight in this hole would position the peep so far above the sight window as to be almost unusable.

4) I've held the peep in the suggested position and shouldered the gun, in this position the peep is too far forward from the eye and one cannot even see a speck of light through the peep not to mention the forward sight or the target.

 

[Big6ft6]

I agree rifleman that it is a possibility this peep didn't come with this gun, which is why I'm hoping to find any photo of a similar peep set up.

I would expect a piece made for bench shooting (false muzzle, hooded front sight, etc) to have a peep sight. And it makes sense that the gun designer would've struggled as to how to mount the peep sight since under the receiver lies the lock mechanism, and under the backstrap lies the cocking/hammer spring. However it seems the arm would be a particularly awkward and poor design for an gunmaker known for fine craftsmanship.

 

[hawkeye2]

IF the sight were for this gun it would have been mounted as you have it zip tied. The stem of the sight would bear against the backstrap and that would place a bending stress on the arm which could have caused it to break through the screw hole specially if it wasn't tempered correctly. The downward force of the arm locks the vertical adjustment yet allows it to be changed easily. There are a couple of things that I don't understand though. Why aren't there 2 screw holes to attach and stabilize the arm? Why isn't there an notch in the backstrap or other provision for the stem of the peep to bear against? Given the quality of the gun I would expect to see these provisions. A sight mounted like this was quite common on New England underhammer rifles and searching for photos of these will show how these sights were attached

 

[Zonie]

A Lewis Single Shot Pocket Rifle by Nelson Lewis is shown in Flayderman's Guide but it is shown using a standard percussion sidelock.

Also shown in Flayderman's Guide is a Allen Thurber & Co. Target pistol with a removable stock and false muzzle which is similar to your gun.

The Allen pistol uses the integral frame/lock that many of his pistols and that your gun has.

The interior of your guns receiver seems to be almost exactly the same as the Allen pistols but Blunt & Syms (New York City), Harrington (Southbridge, Ma.) and Hellinghaus (St. Louis, Mo) all made pistols with the same or similar frame/locks.

Whether your gun is a Allen pistol with a N. Lewis barrel or Lewis using the Allen style of frame/lock to build his own competition to Allens company I can't say but whatever it is it is a rare and very interesting piece.

 

[rafterob]

it would seem a very poor design for a firearm designed for bench shooting with super-fine accuracy being the objective

It is a buggy rifle, not a bench rifle. It incorporates many design features found on late period percusion rifles; false muzzle, peep sight, hooded front sight (most likely a fine bead under that hood). I'm with Zonie about the resemblence to Allen and Thurber pistols and also his comment about many makers ripping each other's designs off. That is the time period that gave rise to patent lawyers. Way cool, you don't want to clean it up too much. Have it checked by a competent gun builder to see if it is fireable. My guess is a pretty decent value to it.

 

[Many Klatch]

That sight attachment looks like it was somewhat fragile originally and the sight support was broken decades ago. That is probably why the gun is still in good condition. The owner at the time couldn't find anyone to fix it so they put it up. Looks like you need to make a piece and find a small screw that fits the hole in the frame.

Many Klatch

 

[Big6ft6]

Hawkeye, you have the same questions I do. It seems two screws would have been WAY more stable than a single screw...a single screw provides a pivot and there is nothing stopping the arm from rotating??

Also nothing on the backstrap suggesting (marks or a notch) that the stem of the peep sight ever rested against the backstrap? It just doesn't seem to add up? The only strong support is that the diameter of the broken hole in the peep arm seems to match exactly with the threaded hole in the receiver.

Maybe not the original sight? The metal worksmanship on the sight arm seems to match very closely with that of the wire butt stock and patina looks identical...just a mystery.

How do I find a screw that matches that little hole? It seems this was likely before standardization of machine screw threads etc.