• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

What is this rifle worth?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Buff

32 Cal
Joined
Dec 19, 2019
Messages
29
Reaction score
17
This is a 36 caliber rifle - the only marking is on the lock built by Josh Golcher. The lock will not cock, I haven't removed it from the stock to examine what it looks like. The bore is badly rusted. I would not shoot this rifle. The exterior looks pretty good. From what research I've done, James and Josh Golcher were brothers that built locks and some muzzleloaders. This rifle belongs to a friend who wants to sell it. I'd appreciate comments on the value of the rifle.

GDL7PcPh.jpg

n2rth6Eh.jpg

eVKaehQh.jpg

VTIspLsh.jpg

Zos9X5Ph.jpg


Thanks!
 
Unsigned original halfstock percussion rifles not easily attributed to a particular maker or area in great shape sell for $400-$600 at best. But not selling like hot cakes.
 
I agree with the other post. It could be a shooter. Plenty of barrel there. I like old guns like this, but I would not offer $300 for it, I would be afraid that the seller would take me up on it. Might be worth double that to the right person. I am not a fan of guns with drums.

Fleener
 
I agree with the other post. It could be a shooter. Plenty of barrel there. I like old guns like this, but I would not offer $300 for it, I would be afraid that the seller would take me up on it. Might be worth double that to the right person. I am not a fan of guns with drums.

As to the possibility of being a shooter, I didn't explain, I started to clean out the rust in the barrel using patches soaked in Kroil wrapped around a bronze brush. After 10 such patches, rust was still coming out. It appears that a lot of the rifling has rusted away. Also, note, in the picture of the tang, wood is missing in the breach area adjacent to the hammer.
 
To get it shooting again would think a relining ($200+) would be required. After pulling the breech plug and drum may require a haircut to clean up the breech area, possibly a new drum. Then you would have to adjust under rib and the key location. Then you have to get the lock happy again, probably not a big deal. Doing work yourself is one thing, but jobbing it out could easily by itself exceed the value of the gun. Just my opinion.
 
As such rifles go ( I term them' degenerate hog rifles ' but I'me a snob!) I have one far worse but still like it and yours like quite tidy looks pretty good as these go. fresh it out cant hurt its historic value seems cheap at 300$ given the choice between it and a mint TC or CVA ? .No contest the Golcher would be my pick it might be low class but it's got some. Rudyard
 
Off centers not bad . Its a' Feature' very many of todays barrel run off they just thread the cockeye end and don't sell it as ' XXX Premium ' shoot just as good .
Rudyard
 
Off centers not bad . Its a' Feature' very many of todays barrel run off they just thread the cockeye end and don't sell it as ' XXX Premium ' shoot just as good .
Rudyard

Just an observation. I'm not suggesting it wouldn't shoot well. It's positioned properly(vertical) to deal with being off center.
 
Did anybody notice how off center the bore is?
I built a rifle around an antique wrought iron barrel that had a lollipop tang. It was .
7F275ACA-4841-4D27-842C-822D10523221.jpeg
38 caliber. I had Bob Hoyt ream it out to .405 caliber. As you can see; the bore is way off center. It was like that on both ends. Still, it’s one of my most accurate rifles.
 
Back
Top