Percussion Cap Rifle

[DDDdiesel]

Does anyone have information on this rifle? I know nothing of it’s pedigree other than it has been in my family for at least 50 years. Anyone who did know anything is now either dead or too old to remember.

There are three initials on top of the barrel ”“ it looks like maybe an “A.J.G.” but I can’t be sure. The two initials on the lockplate seem to be different. Double set triggers, full length stock, copper or bronze ramrod. The rifle came to me from Bedford County, PA, but I don’t know if it originated there.

Overall length: 53”
Barrel length: 38”
Barrel OD: 1” hexagon
Bore: ~.38” with 8 lands & grooves, right hand twist

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I think there are or were four letters on the barrel flat. there is a part scroll letter followed by a (.) before the other three. It almost looks like a J, which is about what the one intitial on the lock plate looks like.

The Bedford county style, as I recall was very slender throughout with a narrower lock plate than most other styles.

It certainly looks old, however, the 8 lands and grooves is somewhat suspect. Perhaps late enough to be a machine made barrel. Hand rifled barrels were mostly an odd number of grooves and flats so the groove cutter would be supported on the other side against a land.

I have run into a lot of rifles over the years that were made up from parts scavenged from other guns. I have one right now that has an early plain roman nose butt stock with appropriate brass furniture, yet it has a later era percussion lock and a smooth bore barrel marked Remington. I have had several such guns over the years. Some old time gunsmith apparently put an 1830's barrel and lock on an earlier rifle stock. I at least know enough to realize that the gun I am buying is not in it's original condition.

It could also be that some one along the line re-rifled the barrel with more modern machinery, resulting in the even grooves and lands.

Also, In the 1950's and 1960's it was common to make up a "Colonial" rifle from original scavenged parts. On such guns though the stocks appear rather clunky and not so streamlined.

Your gun appears to be old. I am certainly no expert. Some folks can look at a trigger guard and tell what "school" and what decade it was made.

 

[Tumblernotch]

This rifle does have the same lines as some of Bedford, Somerset and Huntington Counties. The hammer is shaped like many on Bedford rifles, but the lockplate doesn't quite match up. The only maker I can find with initials anywhere near what you have is J.F. Geherett of Huntington County who built rifles similiar to yours. His was signed as above and not with just initials. His patchbox is somewhat like yours, only the finial extends farther up the stock towards the wrist. Whoever the maker was, I lean towards it being a later percussion period gun. And there is the possibility that it was built in the early 20th Century.

I'm certainly no expert, so you need to look deeper. By the way, the trigger guard appears to be a later design. I'll look around and see if I can find anything else that resembles this piece.

 

[pichou]

The stock has been heavily refinished. The lock seems to match the stock and the stock definitely has age and wear and tear.

 

[bkovire]

sure is a nice one, 8 groves ?

 

[dyemaker]

I have no clue but the drop in the stock looks like a Bedford county rifle. Might be good for a shooter wearing glasses.

 

[Billnpatti]

It may or may not be a "composite" rifle made up of parts from other rifles as some have suggested. I am of the opinion that it could be all original but has been obviously re-worked sometime recently. I hate to see an antique stock refinished with a shiny modern finish as this one has been. But it is what it is. Since the stock has already been refinished, you can't hurt its value by removing the modern finish and applying a finish that is more appropriate for a gun of this era. You might even increase the value some over its value in its present condition. It looks well kept and if you wanted to shoot it, I'd take it to a gunsmith and have it checked over to see if it is safe to shoot. I'm guessing that you may have a real shooter there.

 

[bkovire]

if it has 8 groves then it is more or less from the 20 cen. some were made in late 1890's but no names are listed as to whom made them. i will keep looking for more info, post as i find it.

 

[David W.]

I am not sure what rifle it is, but it is definately not a Bedford County. No Bedford is that plain, or the patch box so simple, there is not enough drop in the stock, trigger guard is wrong and the lock plate is not correct.

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Southwest Pa- Huntingdon Co. nice rifle, I would have someone who is really good at period restoration get the varnish off and redo the stock like the originals, not a beginner. It most likely is a Gerhartd rifle. TGP