19th Century PA Flintlock

[ligonierbill]

Can anyone venture an opinion as to who made this rifle? It is a .40, I believe made in western Pennsylvania near the end of the flintlock era. My lock photo is poor, but low on the front is the word "WARRANTED" and in the back are quail. I have seen a similar percussion lock plate on a mid-19th century gun. "L F" is engraved in script on the barrel. Could be the original owner, but I'm guessing it's the maker.

 

[ligonierbill]

Here's the script.

 

[Hawg]

Warranted marked locks were common commercially available locks used on high and low end guns. IMO from the pics shown your rifle is not an antique but a modern custom build.

 

[ligonierbill]

Could be. I'm actually trying to get this shooting for my brother. Can't seem to get much spark from the lock, even with a new flint. Ordered some small ones - mine are for larger locks.

 

[Pahoo]

Love these Old-Boys !!!

IMO from the pics shown your rifle is not an antique but a modern custom build.

One thing that will help you in determining it's "Vintage", is to look at the wood inside the patch-box. Bare wood will still oxidize with age, I have owned and seen similar rifles and I always look inside the patch box. One of mine that is in perfect condition, including the bore, is showing clean clear Maple. Most of the time when these Old-Boys look this good, it's because they are not that old. Regardless of age, these are very desirable. ....

Be Safe !!!

 

[4V50 Gary]

I wonder if it's modern?

Anyway, it looks like a southern iron mounted rifle. Give me some time to see what's in the library.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Jerry Noble's Notes on the Southern Long Rifle (Vol. 1) lists a L. Fitzpatrick, son of Reese Fitzpatrick who worked in Mississippi in 1885. See page 48. Additional details are in Vol 2, page 38 which further identifies him as Louis A. Fitzpatrick who worked from 1871 to some time after 1900.

There is also a Levi Fisher, who apprentice to George Hawken of Vicksburg, Mississippi around 1850. Levi was born in VA in 1801. See Vol 2, page 38. James Whisker's Gunsmiths & Allied Tradesmen of Virginia states that Levi lived from 1801-1865. His younger brother, George was with him. See page 33.

Whisker in Gunsmiths and Allied Tradesmen of Missouri lists on page 32 a Louis Froelich in St. Louis. He also lists the Prussian Lonzo Fredricks (1820-?) in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri (page 31). Lawrence Fisher (1832-?) was active in 1850 in Warren County (page 30). Levi Joseph Fifield was a gun and blacksmith who joined the LDS. Born in 1803, he died in 1851 from blood poisoning (skinning an animal and cut himself). Levi joined the 500 strong Mormon Battalion (they didn't fight but marched out to CA where they were used as laborers).

 

[ligonierbill]

Thanks. The furniture is brass. Architecture looks like Western Pennsylvania. It could be a modern copy, but the lock is certainly old.

 

[4V50 Gary]

They used brass too (they salvaged trigger guards, etc.). Anyway, show us the tang and let's see if it's lollipop or not. It certainly has southern lines.

Also, does it have a capped nose?

 

[ligonierbill]

A couple more photos.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Sharp pointed tang is also an alternative pattern for the Southern Rifle.

Pull off the lock and let's see the inside.

 

[FrontierGander]

i'd say modern, just not enough wear n tear and age to it. Especially the frizzens jaw screw, looks unused.

 

[Hawg]

but the lock is certainly old.

They do make reproduction warranted locks

 

[ligonierbill]

Got her shooting! Thanks to Mike Lea in Columbus, who did a great job refurbishing the lock. Frizzen needed hardened plus a few more repairs. It turns out that the frizzen and cock are 20th century replacements. Still don't know about the rest of the gun.

In any case, I made smoke and holes in paper pretty much where I put the sights. Used 0.395 ball, 0.010 pillow ticking lubed with bore butter, and 45 gr FFFg. So, she goes home to my brother, and I put together a kit for him from things I had plus additions from Track of the Wolf. Old or not, the rifle is a joy to shoot.

 

[4V50 Gary]

I met Mike Lea and his daughter back in the '90s when I used to go to Friendship, Indiana (right after the NMLRA classes in Bowling Green, KY).