45 Caliber Mule ear

[krshade]

I have a 'new to me' mule ear percussion rifle. The lock is marked 'ALEXANDER' and the barrel is marked 'R. G. ALEXANDER'. I would guess that the lock is limited production (or a one off). There are no other markings on the inside of the lock or on the barrel. The trigger is double set but will only fire set and there is no half cock. The barrel is half round/half octagon. The caliber is .45 and I am still trying to determine the twist.
Has anyone heard of this maker?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Not familiar with the maker, but the gun appears to be pretty nice work. Tried to do a Google search for the name R.G. Alexander and got an author by that name...turns out to be a nom de plume for Rachel Grace! Obviously not who we're looking for. Interesting peep sight too. Should be a descent shooter. Have fun with it! :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

It appears to be an exceptionally handsome mule ear rifle. The ME design has always seemed to me to be very awkward, more so than underhammers; but to each his own. I hope you do find info on the maker.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Looks like TC trigger guard and triggers, perhaps even the cap box, only see the front of it.

The design of the lock is similar to the one sold by Pioneer Arms of Broomall PA, about 30 years ago.

I suspect that the gun was built within the past few decades and the builder engraved his work with his name. I'd guess he was a machinist by the turned barrel. (My machinist friends always tinker with odd locks and shaving weight off guns by turning barrels round.)

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Thought about this a while and remembered that not only Pioneer Arms sold them, Storey made side slappers and even Navy Arms sold a few side slapper guns and locks.

 

[Metalshaper]

Kr54

would love a look at the inside of the lock? I'm always interested in seeing how someone else went about the job..

Here's my attempt at one..


Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[bpd303]

Don't know if you saw it but here is a thread about an original mule ear 1840s over/under I picked up. Several shots of the inside of the lock.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/282290/

 

[krshade]

Here are shots of the inside of the lock.



I didn't have any better luck googling (?) Alexander.

 

[Metalshaper]

THANKS!!!!

took me a couple days to get back and check.. Appreciate the look inside. Never quite saw one that had the sear poke thry the plate like that? Not bad, just different than I'm used to seeing :wink:

so how does it shoot and handle??


Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[krshade]

I don't know yet. Still fighting the spring 'Honey do' list. Hopefully, I'll know in the next week or so.

 

[Jumpshot]

would love a look at the inside of the lock? I'm always interested in seeing how someone else went about the job..

You might find this helpful, it has a bunch of diagrams.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4468877.pdf

 

[MSW]

don't know, except to mention that this is a really good looking rifle!

 

[Metalshaper]

Jumpshot,

thanks for the link.. Interesting :hmm: also found Dale Storey's patent.

KR54,

Yep right there with you on the "list". New fence, raised bed garden, painting a room, getting our son back home from college.. Busy, busy, busy...( or so SHE says :wink: )

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[Patocazador]

also found Dale Storey's patent. Metalshaper/Jonathan

The last I heard Storey was doing lever-action guns. Does he still build mule ears?

 

[Billnpatti]

I have a mule ear rifle that has a lot of resemblance to yours except that mine is a full stock plains rifle in .54 caliber. My lock looks a lot like yours. Mine has a coil main spring in it that fits inside a tube. I have no idea who made it. It has no maker's name or mark anywhere on it. I took it in a trade. It is a good shooter and much lighter than any of my other plains style rifles. The trigger has to be set before the lock will stay cocked. It took a bit of shooting before I became familiar enough with it to be comfortable but now it is one of my favorites. Its favorite load is 55 grains of Goex 3f behind a spit patched round ball. The ball is .530 and the patch is 100% cotton drill that measures .015 thick. I have no idea what it likes as a hunting load because I shoot only paper targets and metal silhouettes and gongs with it.