Baker Rifle arrived

[TFoley]

Amazing piece of crasftsmanship - I bet the new owner likely didn't have a four-year wait.

 

[tsmgguy]

I never thought I'd see a left handed Baker rifle! Looks like it is well made and ready to join the chosen men of the 95th Rifles, South Essex.

Here's what The Rifle Shoppe has to say about the left handed baker rifle. I didn't think they were originally made either, but I notice that the side plate from which the casting was made does have Tower and crown GR markings, and another crown inspection mark on the inside of the plate.

"We’ve had many calls for left handed guns, so we decided to produce a few in the more popular types of weapons. While we were working on these left hand patterns a gentleman came into our shop with a left hand Baker rifle lock. I would have never thought of one being made but as it turned out this completed our patterns. This rifle is an exact duplicate of our series 714 first pattern Baker rifle except it is for left hand shooters. The cheek piece is on the correct side for left hand as is the patch box. The bayonet lug is still on the right side so the standard Baker bayonet may be used. The barrel is 30 ¼”, in .62 caliber. This has a very quality lock."

I'm just glad to have the rifle! The Baker rifle does have quite a large perfectly positioned and formed cheek rest, and the right handed rifle wasn't going to work for me. TRS did a great job on the build. The wood to metal fit is perfect. The original owner of the gun commissioned it in 2005, and it was delivered in 2007. He auctioned it off that year and I was the sole bidder. He purchased the only two options available for the gun, the browned barrel and an English walnut stock. The wood is pleasantly figured, though not fancy.

 

[Rudyard]

I have seen a LH Govt lock but it was off the few Nocks double pistols for artillery then there are some double rifles flintlock which is possibly what was eagerly excepted as for a Baker .Did the original have a detent ? the pre 1805 ones do the Cape Carbines don't . Probably not worth argueing over your happy leave it at that .
Enjoy Rudyard

 

[tsmgguy]

I have seen a LH Govt lock but it was off the few Nocks double pistols for artillery then there are some double rifles flintlock which is possibly what was eagerly excepted as for a Baker .Did the original have a detent ? the pre 1805 ones do the Cape Carbines don't . Probably not worth argueing over your happy leave it at that .
Enjoy Rudyard

I'm sure you're right. That left handed ring neck ordnance pattern lock came through the front door at TRS and there was suddenly no need to produce a pattern from scratch.

 

[toot]

was there ever such a thing as a left hand BAKER RIFLE? I have never herd of one. it looks like a mongrel. a beautiful piece just odd.

 

[TFoley]

was there ever such a thing as a left hand BAKER RIFLE? I have never herd of one. it looks like a mongrel. a beautiful piece just odd.

Nooooooo, there never was such a thing as ANY left-handed lock service rifle or musket. Why should that be?

Well, for the first instance, ANY tendency to do ANYTHING left handed in those days was viewed with immense suspicion - the devil was left-handed, wasn't he? Anything to do with the left was viewed with scorn and early life punishments were inflicted upon the unlucky leftie until he changed his ways 'for the better'.

Ignoring historical lefties who were also geniuses - Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton are just two of a long line - being a left-handed soldier who could not change to being a right-handed soldier meant that you had no place 'in the line'. Imagine the front rank of an infantry company with just ONE leftie in it.

Not going to happen, Sir.

 

[tsmgguy]

was there ever such a thing as a left hand BAKER RIFLE? I have never herd of one. it looks like a mongrel. a beautiful piece just odd.

Like anything else designed for a leftie. We've had to adapt to a right handed world. That said, it's a wonderful thing to be able to throw this one rifle in my collection to my shoulder and have it actually fit. That in itself took some getting used to!

 

[Rudyard]

The double flint smooth bores not rifles as I earlier stated Cape Carbines of 1823 or so made in small numbers which along with the Double pistol/carbines made for Artillery again in small numbers would be it as far as left handed anything Ordnance supplied goes .I would be delighted to be prouved wrong but I don't think I would be . Still a nice rifle So leave it at that. Refer Blackmores' British Military Firearms ' .
Rudyard

 

[toot]

WHEN I was in the army early in the VIETNAM WAR. 1960, we were made to shoot right handed, no lefties. later on I was told lefty was alright.

 

[tsmgguy]

Sights, 100 yard fixed and 200 yard flip-up leaf.

 

[Larks]

Lovely rifle Mike, congratulations. I’ve gone down the TRS baker rifle kit path and am waiting for it to arrive (in Oz’) - TRS have posted it 30 July but for some odd reason it is still showing as sitting in the Wellston post office with the advice: “SHIPMENT RECEIVED, PACKAGE ACCEPTANCE PENDING”......☹

 

[RAEDWALD]

Lovely rifle there.

After 200 years it might look like this but not with the remaining browning on the twist barrel

Enjoy making yours bark.