Builder McCormic[k?]

[Stumpkiller]

A gentleman showed me an "original" rifle yesterday that was a half-stock percussion, 40"+/- barrel, something around .50 cal and either smooth or the rifling was worn away, very slight swamp, mostly Lehigh style, and wondered if I could tell him anything about it. Brass furniture, single trigger (forged, with flat tail-piece hanging down proud outside of the trigger plate behind the blade) 4-piece patchbox with friction catch (no release buttons), squared finials on entry pipe and triggerguard. Wood was EXTREMELY thin on forend and the channel was shallow enough that more than half of the side flats were exposed. It was a delight to shoulder. The sights were excellent (to my tastes, anyway). The stock was very much the dual curves of a Lehigh, very small & very angular cheekpiece which contrasted the curve of the butt, curley maple, but the wrist was much taller than wide and there was no step to the lower curve between toe and trigger. I'm 90% sure it was full stock originally, and 75% cetrain it was originally flint. Sideplate and lock were not the originals. Sheet brass thimbles had bands that were incomplete (which would have been unnoticable if the stock were full length. A bit of surpentine incise carving at the wrist and on the forend, no other carving.

I guessed it to be 1800 to 1810, but I am no expert. Anyone know of a "McCormic" or, I assume "McCormick" operating in that time period and/or style?

Sorry, no pictures, but this was a fellow I'd only met an hour before while discussing tractors and my first advice to him was "trust no one."

 

[Mike Brooks]

North Carolina or virginia rings a bell with that McCorick name for me.... :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

McCormick isn't that uncommon so this may or may not be about the builder your asking about.

My very Old book called AMERICAN GUN MAKERS by L.D.Satterlee and Major Arcadi Gluckman (copyright 1940) gives this information about a Robert McCormick:

"Philadelphia musket maker and contractor under Act of July, 1798, for 3,000 Charleville patter (Model 1795) muskets at $13.49 per stand. $4000 recorded paid on secount in 1799. Believed to have failed on this contract.

On Nov, 5, 1799, McCormick contracted with the State of Virginia for 4,000 Charleville pattern muskets at $13.00 per stand. After delivering a few hundred stands McCormick failed in business in July, 1801, and was imprisoned for debt, and a part of his uncompleted contract was taken over by his shop superintendent, James Haslett. Prior to his failure in July, on May 4, 1801, McComick (sic) in association with Richard Johnson, contracted with the State of Pennsylvania for 1,000 Charleville pattern muskets.

The McCormick muskets were made at Globe Mill, which stood on the west side of Germantown Road and St. John Street, Philadelphia. Originally Globe Mill was called Governor's Mill and was erected for Willaim Penn in 1700. It was used in turn as a grist mill, mustard and chocolate mill, spinning mill and in about 1796 was known as the Globe Mill, that name appearing on the McCormick muskets. The mill was leased by McCormick, an Irish immigrant about 1798-99. After the conpletion of Haslett's contract of 600 muskets of the uncompleted McCormick award, it is believed that the mill was leased to one Hewson, and was used for block calico printing."

Whew! Talk about run on sentences.

This McCormic may be too early for the gun your looking at, or maybe he built it later in his life?
Anyway, that's all I could find.
zonie