Can anyone identify this rifle?

[tsi1990]

I apologize for crossposting - I didn't see the percussion forum. Mods, please feel free to delete the post I made on the same rifle in the Civil War section.

I've come across a rifle I can't identify. I feel fairly certain it's pretty old, but I'm not familiar with older weapons at all. I think it may be a Whitworth - it certainly resembles one. Or, it could be a one-off reproduction. At any rate, I have some photos of it here for anyone who's interested. Thank you for any help you can give!

 

[Pittsburghunter]

Click on the "here" in his post and see the rifle looks cool.Looks like a .32 cal to me. What is the part that comes off the muzzle called?

 

[Zonie]

Follow this link to see more on this post.
CLICK ME TO FOLLOW THIS POST (CIVIL WAR FORUM)

(The removable end of the barrel is a False Muzzle.)

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

It's certainly not a Whitworth. It does look like a very nicely set up target rifle with heavy barrel, peep and globe sights, false muzzle, back action lock for faster ignition... lots of goodies on it! I can't tell you anything specifically about it though, but it is in great condition and probably a nice (and costly!) rifle.

A Whitworth looks almost identical to an 1853 Enfield, only slightly shorter, and with a .45 caliber barrel that is not conventionally rifled. It has a much faster hexagonal twist--similiar to the modern day Heckler & Koch "polygonal rifling" that they put on some of their rifles and pistols. There are no lands and grooves in the barrel just a twisted 6-sided surface. This is supposed to be a better seal and give higher velocity and a better spin to the bullet. I've shot a friend's gun at 600yd targets and it will shoot as good or better than a modern gun. That's how I learned about Whitworths--having a friend with one, AND more money than me!

Is this a rifle of your's? or one that you are going to buy?

Shoot Safely!
WV_Hillbilly

 

[TFoley]

It's called a 'false muzzle' and it acts as a guide to loading the slug - this is called a 'Slug gun'.

Beautiful!!!

I have a Whitworth, and a Whitworth this ain't. ::

tac :grey:

 

[musketman]

The rifling is a antique style (seen in Ned Roberts book: The Muzzle Loading Cap Lock Rifle)

 

Looks like what I have seen termed a "Tryon" style backlock target rifle - maybe a Schuetzen variant.

 

[Harley Donaldson]

This rifle looks very much like a western New York Target rifle circa 1865 or so The muzzle is designed to load a Bullet without cocking it in the bore. The twist probably is in the range of one turn in twenty four inches. The bullets side view looked like a choclate drop. Accurate but hard to load. You have a nice old rifle just grease it up hang it up and love it .Harley

 

[jdstrang]

Love it for sure and certain -- but were it mine, I could not refrain from exercising it as well!

It was made to be shot, and if its internals are as well-preserved as its externals, it's just waiting to speak again with the authority it obviously once carried. :m2c:

 

[Pittsburghunter]

No doubt. The party's that owned it loved it and took very good care of it. I am glad you folks are helping this guy out. He is also getting help on the other forum but not as much as here because of all the builders here.

I wish I was the one that found that rifle and yes I would shoot it if I checked it out very well and knew I would not hurt it.

I shoot guns made in the 1800's all the time but never a m/l made in that period.

 

[Stoney]

Have some information on R R Moore from the book American Firearms. R R Moore;Cortland, N.Y. Apprenticed to Billinghurst of Rochester, N.Y. Also followed trade at Cincinnatus and Seneca Falls, N.Y.1860 to 1870
Made percussion match rifles and shotguns

William Billinghurst, who R R Moore Apprenticed from. Born 1807, Died 1880. Started work around 1830.

 

[TFoley]

The first edition of the Lyman Muzzleloaders' Handbook has an excellent and etailed article on target/slug guns like this. As I noted in an earlier post, the 'false muzzle' is actually called a false muzzle, and was, as another poster notes, used to 'ease' the long bullet, which was actually bullet shaped, and not chocolate drop shaped, into the fifling without endangering the precious muzzle itself with a ram rod.

I'd like to see more pictures of this beautiful rifle, as well as any of the accessories that go along with it, like the hand-rest and so on. And does the owner have a bullet mould for it?

I agree, I just could not let this rifle lay silent - it really needs to be shot, if it is sound.

tac :grey: