Old Family Heirloom

[Griz44Mag]

So the family story goes, no proof of anything, just the family collective memory.
This one was purportedly brought home by a family member that fought in the Un-Civil war between Un-Civil Americans.
The gun was probably a war trophy (plunder) as it appears to be a hunting gun.
Lock is the backlock style with the stamping ATKINSON WARRANTEED and a hunting scene on it. Other than that, nothing on any part identifies the maker.
I am trying to do nothing more than establish a date range that the lock was likely made in.
YES, I have done some internet searches, so far have not found anything definitive. The stock is split and the overall condition is very neglected. The family story seems to indicate the stock was broken over the back of a savage marauding on the family ranch, and never repaired.

 

[Zonie]

This quote doesn't tell us much except there are other guns with similar locks:

"
# 13600 - Atkinson Warranted Muzzle Loading Rifle
2/6/2010
Rich-Arlington, TX

Atkinson Warranted - .36 Maybe .35 - 31.5'' - Other -
Percussion lock says only Atkinson Warranted. There are two engraved lines around the edge of the lock. There is a small eagle just in front of the hammer and two small rococo designs in the front plate. No opposing side plate. There are two small ducks in flight and a crane in water and tall grass in the back section of the lock. I believe the heavy barrel to be browned not rusted, and is 1.063'' across the flats. The rifling has 5 narrow grooves. The second thimble is missing and therefore shows how it attached to the barrel. The thimbles are plain steel tubes welded into a recesses ground or filed into the bottom land. Front sight is brass mounted on a wedge. Rear sight is about 4'' long mount with wedge in the barrel. The bottom of the sight has a slit to raise for long shot. Has Double set triggers. Stock is half I think cherry reddish brown finish no patch box. Brass nose piece has a 1'' V pointing to the rear on bottom of stock. Brass butt plate is highly curved and would be painful for a ''full sized'' man to shoot. Brass trigger guard has two tails pointing down. Rifle weighs 10.3 lbs. I would enjoy knowing several things. Approximate date of manufacture, Maker and maker's locale, school if possible from the description I've given. And would like a realistic value for insurance purposes. Thank you so much [email protected]

Answer:
Rich- It certainly sounds like a nice rifle. I regret that we cannot tell you much about that one. It sounds like it may be more of a target rifle than a hunting gun. The weight, barrel thickness, double set triggers and extreme butt plate and trigger guard almost sound like a Schuetzen style target rifle. The lock markings are probably from the maker of the lock, not necessarily the rifle maker. My guess is that the date would be sometime in the mid to late 19th Century. We will not even attempt to guess at the value without photos. John Spangler"

https://oldguns.net/q&a2_10.htm

About half way down the page in this link is a "Pennsylvania Rifle" with a regular style lock on it, made by Atkinson showing Atkinson made more than back action locks. The estimated date it was made is 1840.

http://www.swshana.com/gun_website/Pre-Civil_War.htm

And another one:

https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/percussion-full-stock-rifle-by-schneider-of-dayton-ohio-1596568

None of my books on gunmakers shows anything about a Atkinson lock company.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Found a nice photo. Not much else in the way of helpful information.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Thank you! The description of the lock in the detailed inquiry is EXACTLY what this lock looks like, from the birds to the eagle to the rocco design. The estimated date also validates the family history as collectively remembered as the story has been passed down through several generations. If these old guns could talk, what a tale they might tell.

 

[TFoley]

Joel Atkinson, of Parkesburg, KY, working from 1877 to 1883, was famously involved in the making of what were known as 40-rod rifles - from the distance to the target. Your back-action lock rifle is very similar to a number of guns shown in Ned H Roberts' book - 'Muzzle loading cap lock rifles'. It's long out of print, but you might be able to find one on Amazon. Makers of 'entire' rifles, like Atkinson, often put their names to the lock as well as the rest of the gun, and yours, IMO, is typical of the heavy barrel, set trigger target rifles used in this particular game. I could, of course, be completely wrong.

 

[Gene L]

Hmmm...40 rods is about 250 yards. A long distance.

 

[8 BORE]

Hmmm...40 rods is about 250 yards. A long distance.

40 rods is a fair distance for hunting. Its a short distance for target shooting

 

[Zonie]

40 rods is a fair distance for hunting. Its a short distance for target shooting

I couldn't disagree more if we are talking about muzzleloaders shooting patched roundballs.

250 yards for a roundball is much too far for hunting or target shooting with iron sights.

Even with a elongated bullet, if the gun has only iron sights I consider 250 yards to be WAY too far to be able to repeatedly place a shot in the critical area of an animal.

 

[32 ballard xl]

Hmmm...40 rods is about 250 yards. A long distance.

I used to shoot in 40 rod matches (back in the 1950's). 40 rods is 220 yards

 

[32 ballard xl]

I couldn't disagree more if we are talking about muzzleloaders shooting patched roundballs.

250 yards for a roundball is much too far for hunting or target shooting with iron sights.

Even with a elongated bullet, if the gun has only iron sights I consider 250 yards to be WAY too far to be able to repeatedly place a shot in the critical area of an animal.

-Before you accept that conclusion, check out "The Cap Lock Rifle" by Ned Roberts.

I couldn't disagree more if we are talking about muzzleloaders shooting patched roundballs.

250 yards for a roundball is much too far for hunting or target shooting with iron sights.

Even with a elongated bullet, if the gun has only iron sights I consider 250 yards to be WAY too far to be able to repeatedly place a shot in the critical area of an animal.

Somewhere around here I have copy of Major Ned Roberts "The Caplock Rifle" in which he gives numerous match scores for 40 rod matches. Almost all with peep type sights. Those scores told me I didn't want to be standing in place of that target at 220 yards (40 rods).

 

[8 BORE]

I couldn't disagree more if we are talking about muzzleloaders shooting patched roundballs.

250 yards for a roundball is much too far for hunting or target shooting with iron sights.

Even with a elongated bullet, if the gun has only iron sights I consider 250 yards to be WAY too far to be able to repeatedly place a shot in the critical area of an animal.

Zonie you better check out the creedmoor matches. Muzzle loaders shooting at 1000 yards.with iron sights.

 

[8 BORE]

Zonie
There are 500 meter muzzle loader matches shooting ROUND BALLS. Been there done that. Usually the balls dont have enough energy left at 500 meters to knock down the rams, but most are hit.
No speculation, hear-say, or 3rd party manure. BEEN THERE DONE THAT.

 

[TFoley]

Zonie you better check out the creedmoor matches. Muzzle loaders shooting at 1000 yards.with iron sights.

Elongated bullets, though, NOT RBs.