Help with ID on this Target rifle

mtsage · Aug 16, 2024

I acquired this "target" rifle at a estate sale. Original owner is no longer with us. I would like to know a little more about it. I'm not a "target" shooter really. We all shoot paper don't we. Not competition anyway. Here is what I can tell you. It is a .50 cal, 36" x 1.25" x 60 or 66 twist barrel. Weighs 13 lbs. The sight names/kind are shown in the pics. There is no markings on the barrel and nothing on the underhammer either. I would appreciate it if anybody can inform me as to maybe who made it, year, original cost or what it might be worth today. Not living anywhere where they do bp competition. Do they still shoot competition with this kind of rifle? I have not shot it but I can tell you my bore scope shows a no rust clean barrel. 8 land and groove.

Cyknife · Sep 1, 2024

There is a book by Jeff Baron covering the building of several types of under hammer locks. Your sample looks similar to a Billinghurst (or Ingrham) pattern lock save for the trigger guard which functions as the hammer spring. Given that this book is aimed at the "build your own" crowd the original owner might have been the builder.

Grenadier1758 · Sep 1, 2024

It has the look of a rifle built for the Buffalo Cross sticks target at 50 and 100 yards. I agree with @Cyknife that it was likely built by the original owner. That is a dandy sight and probably worth as much as the rest of the rifle.

Whitworth · Sep 1, 2024

Your rear sight is from a German air rifle, a Feinwerkbau, model 300S if memory serves me correctly.

ronaldrothb49 · Sep 1, 2024

That would be a Cross stick/ Light Bench rifle. The lock appears to be broken. The trigger guard on those locks does double duty as also the mainspring, That spring appears to be broken which renders the lock useless. I still have one of those lock kits that I have never put together. Don't know if those kits are still being made and cannot remember who was making them to see if replacement parts are available.

Flint62Smoothie · Sep 1, 2024

The main spring, aka ‘trigger guard’ may not be broken at all. It just might have been designed so that it doesn’t engage the hammer until the hammer 1/2-way back. With a stiff enough spring, this would still provide enough power to ignite the cap when set back to full cock.

This is simple enough for the OP to test :ghostly:

!

ronaldrothb49 · Sep 1, 2024

Flint62Smoothie said:
The main spring, aka ‘trigger guard’ may not be broken at all. It just might have been designed so that it doesn’t engage the hammer until the hammer 1/2-way back. With a stiff enough spring, this would still provide enough power to ignite the cap when set back to full cock.

This is simple enough for the OP to test !

I had a rifle that I bult with one of those kits and have one of the kits that I haven't put together. If you look at the hammer there is a hole through it where a pin goes and that is where the spring attaches to the hammer. will see if I can get a picture of the spring and post it.

Help with ID on this Target rifle

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

mtsage

36 Cl.

Cyknife

32 Cal

Grenadier1758

Cannon

Whitworth

69 Cal.

ronaldrothb49

45 Cal.

Flint62Smoothie

50 Cal.

ronaldrothb49

45 Cal.

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Help with ID on this Target rifle

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

36 Cl.

32 Cal

Cannon

69 Cal.

45 Cal.

50 Cal.

45 Cal.

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