bisker rifle

[buffler]

Anyone out there have any info on William Bisker, 'smith in Stark County, OH? I'm reconditioning a heavy-barrel rifle. W Bisker stamped underside of bbl, BISKER in cartouche on top of bbl. It's heavy, about 23 lb. The bbl is now .36 cal, ball twist, and is a reline put in place with solder. The reline OD is .775 in or so. Golcher lock. ugly crud on lick and set triggers, but everything moves and it's all there. Have had to do some splinter fixin' but nothing really major.
Any further info would be appreciated.
Forgot to ask if there's any way at all to tell how old the reline might be?
Don

 

[Bruce Bogart]

Google up the Association of Ohio Longrifle Collectors . You can search around on that site for Ohio makers.

 

Buffler,
I have William Bisker, 1866-1939, in Canal Fulton, Stark County, Ohio. From your description of the rifle it would be seem to be right. Canal Fulton was, and still is, the center of major bench rest shooting. Pictures would be nice.
Mark

 

[buffler]

Hey, thanks, papa. I have some pictures, will try to post a couple. Would be really nice to have a drag and drop feature on the forum rather than the url trudge. :barf:
Don

 

[buffler]

Ok, I'm gonna keep at this until I get it. It's REALLY ARCHAIC :cursing:

 

Buffler,
The rifle looks to be in pretty good condition, outside at least. The rear, tang, sight is obviously a later addition. It looks like a Buffington sight off of a Remington rolling block. I'm also surprised that there's no false muzzle or barrel rest and that there is provision for a ram rod. Given its size it was built for target shooting but I would venture a guess that it wasn't for bench shooting but built for chunk shooting. I had a McCraner that could have been this ones brother.
Mark

 

[buffler]

Yes, it's kind of strange. The outside of the bbl has patches of very mild rusting. It was, as far as I can tell, never blued or browned. The bore of the liner is very clean, patches with break free and boreshine show no rust, and brushing produced only a blackening of subsequent patches. But the trigger and lock were all gowed up, so I boiled 'em and oiled 'em. The ramrod obviously did not belong at all, way too short.
The bbl was tapped twice near the front sight. I have a Navy arms brass 4x long scope, I think I'll make a period mount and put it on.
You can access more pictures if you're interested at http://people.montana.com/~djl.
Was chunk shooting popular in OH?

 

Buffler,
It is indeed a nice rifle. It appears that there was either an adjustment screw or other type of tang sight at one time, from the screw hole in the tang otself, and I would agree that there also appears to have been a scope on it at some time. From what I can see, the hammer "may" be an older replacement, it doesn't look like what is on most of my Golchers. I don't see any indication of a shader having been on the barrel but the front sight is a post and bead with a hood which is, once again, typical of what is used on chunk guns. Chunk gun shooting is very popular in parts of Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee even today. The Golcher locks you were refered to where probably early Enlish locks by James Golcher but Joseph Golcher of Philadelphia worked much later into the 19th century. His locks were still available into the 1870-1880 period, unless I am mistaken.

Also enjoyed your African pictures.
Mark

 

[buffler]

Yes, the lock says Jos Golcher, I think. Interesting about the hammer. "originals" have a longer reach? This is obviously not a hook breech. I don't think i can pull the breech, there's some solder around it and I'm afraid to mess. There are pairs of scope screw holes under the forward rear sight, the present rear sight bar, and two sets near the front sight. This gun has had all kinds of scopes mounted. I'm amazed that the barrel is as clean as it seems to be!
We had a good time on that Africa trip-not hunting, just visiting...
Don