“Judge” H.E. Resley Rifles.

[GDM]

I picked these three “Judge” H.E. Resley rifles at an estate sale. One is a bench style gun in .54Cal . It has a very heavy barrel marked H.E. RESLEY. It has Tower lock, Redfield sights and comes in weighing almost 20#. Actually tips the scales at 19.75 # Second is a single wedge pin heavy plains style rifle with a nice patch box and a couple of inlays. It is marked A.H. Rudolph No. 134 Bryant, TX 1868 on top of flat. H. E. RESLEY A.R.B. Third is a huge Hawken style in .62 caliber. It has a Long’s lock out of Denver. It is marked Bridger’s Pet 24 and H.E. RESLEY and weighs 14.75 #. All needed some TLC but cleaned up well. Bores are all in good shape. I grew up 45 miles from where “Judge “ Resley was from and heard about him ever since I started shooting BP. I was very glad to get these rifles. I thought some of you would enjoy seeing them.

 

[swoter]

Very nice all three!

 

[Stykbow]

Cool stuff. The huge difference in styles between the three is what I find the most striking. Well, that and the green stock on the first one.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I noticed the green stock too. Very interesting !

 

[loojack]

An old time stain, chromium tri oxide or "purple crystals" has been known to turn some wood green as it ages

Cool stuff. The huge difference in styles between the three is what I find the most striking. Well, that and the green stock on the first one.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Wow! What a find!

There was a feature article about Judge Resley in Muzzle Blasts many years ago. He was building big-bore Hawken-styled rifles and "plains rifles" before they really caught on. His workmanship was well regarded, although I've never had the opportunity to examine any of his guns myself.

That heavy bench rifle may not be of a type typically associated with Judge Resley, but I think it is a very good representation of bench rifles of the 1950's and sixties, put together out of odd parts in a rather crude stock, but with first class sights and barrel. I think it's just a terrific old rifle.

I like all three of them. I'll bet the Judge would want you to shoot them!

Notchy Bob

 

[Notchy Bob]

I'm back for another look, and maybe a couple of questions.

Rifle #1 (the fullstock) appears to have a "Tower" or Enfield musket lock, paired up with double-set triggers. Does this lock still have a half-cock position? I'm curious as to whether the Judge installed a fly in the tumbler, or simply ground off the half-cock notch, as was commonly done in the 19th century.

Rifle #2 has a massive appearance, with a very heavy stock. If you don't mind, what are the barrel dimensions and caliber? I also find it interesting that this rifle appears to have a single trigger. Is it a simple trigger, or single set? A simple, single trigger would suggest a hunting rifle, but it looks as if you would need a horse to tote this one!

These are great rifles. Thanks for posting!

Notchy Bob

 

[Artificer]

I'm back for another look, and maybe a couple of questions.

Rifle #1 (the fullstock) appears to have a "Tower" or Enfield musket lock, paired up with double-set triggers. Does this lock still have a half-cock position? I'm curious as to whether the Judge installed a fly in the tumbler, or simply ground off the half-cock notch, as was commonly done in the 19th century.

Notchy Bob

I can't vouch for original Whitworth Rifles or if there was such a thing as an original "Volunteer" (more likely in the period called a Militia) rifle, but the REAL English made Parker Hale Whitworths and Volunteers came with a fly in the Tumbler. These were a drop in fit on "Interchangeable Pattern" Original Enfield Locks like those marked "Tower" and some other private contractors.

Gus

 

[Kiltman20]

the 54 cal weights how much!?! My arms got tired just typing this post.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I can't vouch for original Whitworth Rifles or if there was such a thing as an original "Volunteer" (more likely in the period called a Militia) rifle, but the REAL English made Parker Hale Whitworths and Volunteers came with a fly in the Tumbler. These were a drop in fit on "Interchangeable Pattern" Original Enfield Locks like those marked "Tower" and some other private contractors.

Gus

I didn't know that! This is good information. Maybe @GDM 's Resley target rifle has one of those locks, which would be compatible with double set triggers and require no modification.

Thanks!

Notchy Bob

 

[Rudyard]

locks marked 'Tower' are usually contract locks not Enfield .WW s might have had detents but no others issued are likley to have that option . .Ime sure they will shoot better than they look. Volunteers are commercial not issue and the term Militia isn't how most where described they wanted to be soldier citizens very fashionable popular the thing to do. Rather than mustered not by preference as denotes most' Militia '
Rudyard

 

[Artificer]

Artificer said:
I can't vouch for original Whitworth Rifles or if there was such a thing as an original "Volunteer" (more likely in the period called a Militia) rifle, but the REAL English made Parker Hale Whitworths and Volunteers came with a fly in the Tumbler. These were a drop in fit on "Interchangeable Pattern" Original Enfield Locks like those marked "Tower" and some other private contractors.

Gus

I didn't know that! This is good information. Maybe @GDM 's Resley target rifle has one of those locks, which would be compatible with double set triggers and require no modification.

Thanks!

Notchy Bob

The only reason I know that is my Mentor who first got me into working on UnCivil War guns at the Spring Nationals in 1974 was an active Duty Marine CWO who dealt in original ML parts on the side, but also worked the "Navy Arms" booth at the NSSA nationals doing trigger jobs and other work. In his parts boxes, he had both standard PH Tumblers and the ones with the fly.

Using the PH Tumblers with the fly by NSSA regulations was ONLY allowed on Whitworth and Volunteer Rifles, though anyone who wished could buy them for other rifles.

Gus

 

[GDM]

Hello,
The lock in the “Bench gun” is marked Tower. It does not appear to have a fly in the tumbler and has not had the half cock ground off, but the gun will not go to full cock with the lock in the gun. You must pull the set trigger , then it will go to half cock , then use the hair trigger to fire it. It fires from half cock. If you take it out of the gun you can pull it to full cock. The tumbler does however appear to have had some grinding on it in front of the half cock position. I will attach pics.

The second rifle is a heavy rifle. It weighs in over 12 pounds. The barrel is 1” in diameter and 1/2 “ across the flats. The caliber is .50 cal. The trigger is a simple trigger and breaks at 4 1/2 pounds every time very consistently. The stock is very thick . In the forearm and wrist area. It is wide in the buttstock also. The ornate patch box opens from a release button on btm of butt stock. The gun may have been built to hunt with but would not be my first choice to tote around the mountains.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@GDM , thank your for the additional pictures and information.

Judge Resley must have been a very talented fellow. He knew just how to grind the tumbler on that lock so he could retain the half-cock notch and still have it work with set triggers. That is a very interesting rifle.

I sort of wonder what he was thinking when he stocked that second one, though. It sure does have a lot of wood left on it. Maybe it was one of his early ones. Hard to say.

In any event, you are lucky to have those rifles!

Notchy Bob

 

[flintsteel]

I knew the judge fairly well back in the late 50’s. Y’all gotta remember at that time we did not have all the reproduction parts available now, nor the hands on experience of handling originals. You just used whatever parts happened to show up in garbage bins or gun shows. Or you shot originals. I was just a 17 year old kid when I first met him in San Angelo at the Texas State Muzzleloading shoot. What a group back then! He preferred big calibers with huge powder charges behind them and they were real tooth rattlers! Was first time I had ever attended something like this and bought a Resley cut round barrel .52 bench rifle that had been assembled by someone in Lamesa, Texas. Then later on I sent him the Barrel of an original .45 I had rebored and recut to a .50 percussion, still have that one. We all shot percussion back then, decent flintlocks we’re not available at all. I believe Dixie had a flintlock but it was a piece of junk. Back to the judge: he was quite the character and took me under his wings and even taught me how to drink whiskey! Was a pretty famous character in his hometown of Fort Stockton, Texas.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I think there was a biographical article about him in Muzzle Blasts many years ago. I remember reading it, although I don't recall many details. He must have been quite a character.

Notchy Bob

 

[GDM]

Thank you for the info and replies. I did some research online and found out that at the Texas Muzzleloaders Association shoots in Brady, Texas that the shooting lane is name in his honor. Resley lane. Also found several small messages and different websites where the Judge and his guns were discussed. From what I found he was fond of big heavy bench style guns, with lots of power and powder as Flintsteel alluded too. I believe they even had a match in his name at one time where only his barrels could be used. I found one who described a gun very similar to mine. 20#’s tower lock designed to fire from half cock. As stated earlier I grew up in the Ft. Stockton area And while I didnt ever meet the Judge I heard many a story and his reputation presided him. The builder that I had build me several rifles from Andrews knew him well and talked of him often and told stories of things he did that were a bit different and off the wall. He sounds like he was definitely a character. I am very glad to gotten these rifles. I have beem steadily cleaning them and will be shooting them very soon. Will report back how they perform and function to all who are interested. I must say that while the bench gun is different for me and I like the “plains” rifle, the Hawken is something else as well. It is huge. Weighing in at 14.75# pounds , a . 62 cal rifled barrel , 1 1/4” diameter with 7/8 flats. This thing is a beast. Cant wait to give it go. Again thank you to each of you who took the time to share information.

 

[cebusey]

Hello,
The lock in the “Bench gun” is marked Tower. It does not appear to have a fly in the tumbler and has not had the half cock ground off, but the gun will not go to full cock with the lock in the gun. You must pull the set trigger , then it will go to half cock , then use the hair trigger to fire it. It fires from half cock. If you take it out of the gun you can pull it to full cock. The tumbler does however appear to have had some grinding on it in front of the half cock position. I will attach pics.

The second rifle is a heavy rifle. It weighs in over 12 pounds. The barrel is 1” in diameter and 1/2 “ across the flats. The caliber is .50 cal. The trigger is a simple trigger and breaks at 4 1/2 pounds every time very consistently. The stock is very thick . In the forearm and wrist area. It is wide in the buttstock also. The ornate patch box opens from a release button on btm of butt stock. The gun may have been built to hunt with but would not be my first choice to tote around the mountains.
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I just recently bought a southern Ohio mountain rifle of his only it is in 45 and has a backaction lock. The rear trigger has to be set before you can cock it either in half or full and can only be released by the front trigger and not from half cock. It has no fly and the lock is an old original - cannot read the markings. The barrel starts octagon then goes to a wedding band then to round and is fairly heavy.

 

[duckshooter]

I just found your posting while researching a new to me find. I just picked up a bench gun with a monster of a Resley marked barrel (50Cal, 1 1/2 in, 36 in long) bult on a 2-wedge half stock, Redfield peep & hooded sights,1841 lock (marked Robins, Kendall & Lawrence), and functioning double set trigger. I have not shot it yet but am looking forward to seeing what it will do. This thing weighs a ton!!

 

[cebusey]

I just found your posting while researching a new to me find. I just picked up a bench gun with a monster of a Resley marked barrel (50Cal, 1 1/2 in, 36 in long) bult on a 2-wedge half stock, Redfield peep & hooded sights,1841 lock (marked Robins, Kendall & Lawrence), and functioning double set trigger. I have not shot it yet but am looking forward to seeing what it will do. This thing weighs a ton!!

Congradulations on your find!
Have you read anything about the Judge? His arms are renowned for their accuracy and special matches are held in Texas where only his guns can be used. Mine is a bit of an oddball of his as it is 45 caliber and is on the smaller side. It has a match set trigger not suitable for hunting. Unfortunately bubba had gotten to mine but I was able to restore it. Unfortunately health issues have kept me from taking it to the range but expect to next month. I am attaching a picture.