Bizarre Warren & Steele Rifle Any Thoughts?

[Coggles]

So I recently picked this up because it is bizarre and I was intrigued. Anyone have any ideas what the story might be with this thing. Looking around online it looks like Warren & Steele have made some other strange rifles and pistols during their tenure. The total length of the rifle is a little over 21”. The barrel length is about 7.5” and 1” in diameter and looks like about .36 caliber groove to groove. Floral engraving. The rear sights are kind of bizarre and to this point I haven’t been able to find another breech that looks similar, though I am just starting to learn about percussion era rifles. I am trying to figure out where something like this would have been used. Like under a bar or obviously something in close as I can’t imagine getting much more than pistol accuracy out of a barrel that short.

Thanks
Coggles

 

[bubba.50]

Have no clue what you have except that it’s very interesting and one you’d like to know the backstory to. Judgin’ by the tang peep & the sawed-off look of the muzzle, it looks like it may have started it’s journey as a target rifle that for some reason or other was shortened to what is referred to as a ‘deck gun’.

 

[desi23]

I would also tend to suspect it was originally a target rifle that has been shortened. As to its current form I have heard such short barreled guns referred to as "buggy rifles" in the past (fit easily under a buggy seat), perhaps a way to salvage a gun with a damaged barrel. Though it could possibly have been made this way if someone felt the need for such a piece, the sights could have been set as they are to give the longest possible sight picture with that short barrel