1861 Reilly made Enfield Carbine - condition issues

[Gene Williams]

I was recently asked by a friend about a Reilly Enfield Carbine. He described it as a sporterized Enfield percussion rifle, .45 caliber, SN 12088. I know Reillys and in the late 1850's, early 1860's he made a ton of them including Serial Numbered guns built by him and non-Serial numbered guns only engraved and marketed by the firm. I dated the gun per my Reilly chart to summer 1861. I posted these two Reilly's which I assumed were very close to what he had - both of which were numbered within a week of his gun:

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12073 - Which I've dated to summer 1861
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...-451-percussion-target-rifl-530-c-9bb4d8f909#
A .451 PERCUSSION TARGET-RIFLE, MODEL 'MILITARY MATCH', serial no. 12073,
circa 1865, with round 36in. multi-groove barrel, the top at breech signed 'E.M. REILLY & CO. 315 & 502 OXFORD STREET, LONDON', replacement dove-tailed adjustable tunnel fore-sight (remnants of the original dove-tailed base remains), micro adjustable target rear-sight marked 'SUTHERLAND RIFLE SIGHT CO, NEW GLASGOW N.S.', octagonal breech section with squared breech-plug, moulded snail, scroll engraved top-tang with later Pedersoli vernier sight fitted behind, borderline and scroll engraved bar-action lock signed 'E.M. REILLY & CO. LONDON', sliding safe forwards of hammer, scroll engraved hammer breast, chequered walnut full-stock of military form, borderline and scroll engraved patchbox to right hand side of butt, iron furniture, three iron barrel bands, triple swivel set-up and jag-ended iron ramrod


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12069 - again dated to summer 1861
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...0298/lot-37b039e5-1d39-455f-8d99-a561010b95f5

A .451 PERCUSSION VOLUNTEER MILITARY TARGET RIFLE
E.M. REILLY & CO., 315 & 502 OXFORD STREET, LONDON, SERIAL NO. 12069, CIRCA 1870
With 33 in. (84 cm.) barrel rifled with five grooves, sighted to 1000 yards and retaining some original faded blued finish, border and scroll engraved lock, walnut three-quarter stock with chequered grip and fore-end, the butt with vacant silver presentation roundel and small silver escutcheon, and border and scroll engraved iron mounts, London proof marks


Well, when I got the pictures it was a shock. The gun is a mess. Question: Is there anything that can be done with this gun? Something maybe to make it shootable for reenactors? The gun was part of an extensive group of guns held for 75 years in the basement of an old fellow in South Carolina; any idea what it might sell for?:

 

[Pete G]

You might think about adding a wooden under rib.

 

[Larsen]

Buy original parts and put them on it? splice new wood onto stock?

 

[Stantheman86]

So this is a .451 target rifle someone hacked up and removed the sights off of???

 

[52Bore]

If it’s a 52bore (0.451”), it looks as if it was originally a Volunteer Rifle.
Unfortunately, you’ll probably never confirm if it was a carbine.
Too bad for it’s current condition.
Might make someone a nice Sporting Rifle if some work/effort is put into it.