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25 Cal. Black Powder Rifle???
CapnMidnight
Member Posts: 8,038 ✭✭
I posted this over in the BP forum, thought I might get some answers over here.
This rifle came out of an estate sale, stock was broken at the rear of the lock, and it was in pretty sad shape. There was a letter in the patch box, stating that the rifle had been built after the civil war, to replace one that the letter writers granddad had lost to confiscation by union troops. The builders name, according to the letter was Campbell. The letter was signed by a lady also named Campbell, said this was her granddad's favorite squirrel rifle. There is no marking except for the lock makers name on the lock. The bore measure .25 caliber, we shot it with 25 cal. round balls, it did quite well with thick ticking patches.
Dan Saunders, a friend of the gentle man who bought the rifle, and my gun smith, restored this beauty.
My question is, where do you think it was built? The letter doesn't say. The lock and hammer style are the right era for the post civil war time frame. I'm wondering if some one might recognize the regional builders style.
Thanks for your time.
W.D.
This is Eddie Cole at the Carson gun show, he is the gentleman who bought the gun from the estate sale.
Brother Dan, the artist/gun smith who restored this rifle.
This rifle came out of an estate sale, stock was broken at the rear of the lock, and it was in pretty sad shape. There was a letter in the patch box, stating that the rifle had been built after the civil war, to replace one that the letter writers granddad had lost to confiscation by union troops. The builders name, according to the letter was Campbell. The letter was signed by a lady also named Campbell, said this was her granddad's favorite squirrel rifle. There is no marking except for the lock makers name on the lock. The bore measure .25 caliber, we shot it with 25 cal. round balls, it did quite well with thick ticking patches.
Dan Saunders, a friend of the gentle man who bought the rifle, and my gun smith, restored this beauty.
My question is, where do you think it was built? The letter doesn't say. The lock and hammer style are the right era for the post civil war time frame. I'm wondering if some one might recognize the regional builders style.
Thanks for your time.
W.D.
This is Eddie Cole at the Carson gun show, he is the gentleman who bought the gun from the estate sale.
Brother Dan, the artist/gun smith who restored this rifle.
Comments
Beautiful piece of history,good on them for bringing her back to life!
The reason I say Missouri is the other states where a Back Action was popular were all in the Union.
Very nice looking rifle and I am glad to see ya'll got it back into shooting shape.
just a vote on a nice looking rifle and congrats for restoring. the note is a bonus what a great find
That being said...
The back action lock suggests a later gun as well as does the small caliber and the half stock. I'd be curious if the barrel possibly had a marking on one of its faces usually hidden by the stock. Further, a photo of the trigger guard from the underside of the rifle would be of help. The trigger group is very likely from an older gun and recycled as is possibly the trigger guard.
Patchbox is a modified toilet seat design. These were generally available at just about any hardware store after 1850. Post Civil War would not be out of the question but I'd be inclined to say less likely then and more likely just before or during the war.
The stock is maple with artificial stripes. The half stock configuration suggests Ohio and westward but the general architecture tells me this is still an eastern gun. Maybe Indiana or Illinois but I'd say the maker had his roots in PA.
Guns made west of the Mississippi during the late period were usually of rather large caliber as there was still an abundance of big game to be taken. Calibers generally got smaller here in the east as big game became more and more scarce. The bore on this rifle is correct and original by all appearances.
Share with us where the gun was found. Quite often these old pieces never wandered very far from where they were made.
A very nice little rifle by the looks.
You said the tiger stripe maple was fake? When I first saw the rifle it looked like a stick of fire wood, but, you could see the stripe in the stock. How did the old timers get that effect? I am curious, might want to try it myself, someday.
W.D.
The rifle was one of 23 pieces Eddie bought at an estate sale in Vancouver Washington. Your point Nord, about the caliber is valid, except this was a replacement for an earlier rifle that was taken by union troops. The letter states that this was supposed to be almost a copy of the original rifle.
You said the tiger stripe maple was fake? When I first saw the rifle it looked like a stick of fire wood, but, you could see the stripe in the stock. How did the old timers get that effect? I am curious, might want to try it myself, someday.
W.D.
They burned it.
They used a rope and burned it real slow. I did the same to a flintlock I built a few years ago.
What is that, about a 20 grain bullet?
Beautiful gun, what a find.
Western rifles were 50 cal.for larger game.
Calculated guess.
But the star is what it is, and not what I hoped.
So I have no clue.
There is a book series called FOXFIRE edited by Elliot Wigginton .The books are full of interviews of old time mountain folks in the Appalacin Mountains done by high school students in the 1970s Volume number 5 includes black powder rifles and guns .This style gun shows up in the book if I remember correctly.Might want to hit the library and check it out.
Your correct, I read about the rope trick years ago, then promptly forgot about it.
W.D.