Was gifted a percussion rifle, please help identify!

[tdubbs]

I was hoping to find out as much as I could about it, clean it up a bit, and hang it on the wall. I have no intentions on selling it. It would be nice to say it's shootable, but I'd rather not risk it. It would be great to have a nice blurb to say where it came from when someone asks seeing it on the wall. Great for family history. Appreciate it!

 

[satwel]

Dan beat me to it. My guess is built in New York state in the decade prior to the Civil War. Looking at the closeup photo of the lock, I don't think it has been fired much. Percussion caps in those days were highly corrosive and many surviving percussion rifles exhibit pitting around the nipple, drum and adjacent barrel surface. This rifle has none of that. Also the edges of the lock panel are very crisp. It either hasn't been fired much or whoever owned it took really good care of it. You've got a very nice example of a mid 19th century sporting rifle in excellent shape.

 

[Many Klatch]

Do yourself and your family a favor and don't hang it over the fireplace. The air above the fireplace is very dry if the fireplace gets used much and the dry air will attack the wood. I have seen "family heirlooms" that were hung over the fireplace that actually fell apart and needed to be carefully glued back together.

Clean the bore and oil it. Remove the lock and oil it. Gently clean the wood. If you want to hang the gun find a wall that isn't near the fireplace.

Many Klatch

 

[nit wit]

It looks like a new england style rifle to me, most were 36-38 cal. I sent my barrel to willie boitnot and he rebored it to 40 cal. Sweet shooting guns. These were not made to hang on a wall. You don't have to proof something that good and that thick.Please use this rifle, bring it to maine and I'll shoot it :shocked2: :shocked2:
Nit Wit

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Nominal .38 cal. The barrel is about 1" so, if the breech and drum are sound, freshing it out would certainly be an option.

Duane

Is there anyone who does proper freshing, rather than boring out and re-rifling?

Regards,
Joel

 

[alex efremenko]

One could also find a competant builder and make a clone of it, if shooting it real desire.
At very least have someone make a new barrel for it. :hmm:

 

[Okwaho]

I was hoping to find out as much as I could about it, clean it up a bit, and hang it on the wall. I have no intentions on selling it. It would be nice to say it's shootable, but I'd rather not risk it. It would be great to have a nice blurb to say where it came from when someone asks seeing it on the wall. Great for family history. Appreciate it!

I'm with you here.I've brought several old guns back including an early 18th century French trade gun that was found in a barn. Once I GENTLY wiped down the stock with a DAMP rag I let the stock dry and then began hand rubbing it. The palm has lanolin in it and while it took a while I got some nice patina back.It gives you something to do while watching TV. I have done this on flintlocks and where there is a narrow area as in behind the flintlock I used another tried and true method;nose grease. Trust me this approach works on old guns and the natural lanolin is preferable to wax that just sits on the surface.An old friend has accused me of fondling the guns but so what I just do it the old fashioned way. :bow: :v
Tom Patton