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Flint at the gun show
- Thread starter OcelotZ3
- Start date
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Thanks for the comment regarding the spring clamp.
I had thought I could get by with a mini c-clamp I have, but upon removing the lock I see that the frizzen spring screw is under the mainspring. So I'll go ahead and buy a spring clamp to use for both the mainspring & frizzen spring.
I had thought I could get by with a mini c-clamp I have, but upon removing the lock I see that the frizzen spring screw is under the mainspring. So I'll go ahead and buy a spring clamp to use for both the mainspring & frizzen spring.
54ball
62 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2004
- Messages
- 3,116
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Could it be L&R?
The deal you got on that rifle is so good that I am tempted to believe this may be a hoax, like the $50 1957 Corvette in a shed.
If this is indeed true it goes to show how ignorant some sellers are, especially the black rifle crowd. If the seller was not a total Dumb A$$ he would have researched what he had and marketed that rifle to the folks who could see it for what it is and be willing to pay for it.
As a commissioned build, a builder would charge several thousand for that rifle, as said three to four thousand bucks.
In the right circles, used and by an unknown builder, it would bring less but not by much.
You sir are lucky, if all of this is on the up and up.
I guess I need to start going to gunshows again.
54ball said:
Could it be L&R?
I thought that too, I have one with the same marks inside. But the frizzen spring, at least whats left, looks like a Deluxe Siler, and the Frizzen doesnt have the rain sealer like an L&R.
I don't have pics to see, but could it maybe be an original Bud Siler lock?
It's definitely not L&R. I've been doing some searching and can't find anything like the markings. I'll post a photo tonight of the inside of the lock (there are already a couple of the outside).
As I had mentioned earlier, the owner of The Gun Works had a booth at the show, but they pretty much only had cartridge rifles there (BP probably doesn't sell well at the show). He had seen the flintlock earlier before the show opened to the public but didn't investigate further since it didn't have a price or any information attached, and (I'm guessing) but the seller had some very expensive rifles for sale and he probably thought it would be expensive too. In fact, the first person I talked to about the rifle, who turned out to not be the seller, mentioned how he had looked at it and also thought it was very nice and he thought it would be very expensive due to the other rifles the seller had on his table. As an example, the seller had a special display table (most not for sale) of most every WWII & earlier Colt semi-auto & cartridge revolver made. It was impressive. Along with a large number of Colt & Winchester rifles, plus Winchester parts.
The owner of The Gun Works did remember it from earlier, and beat me back over to it as a prank after I had discussed it with him... I figure that if he thought it was a good buy, it was. In addition, he knew the seller, they went way back. If anyone thinks this is a hoax, well, you can ask him. I can only post photos of it.
As I had mentioned earlier, the owner of The Gun Works had a booth at the show, but they pretty much only had cartridge rifles there (BP probably doesn't sell well at the show). He had seen the flintlock earlier before the show opened to the public but didn't investigate further since it didn't have a price or any information attached, and (I'm guessing) but the seller had some very expensive rifles for sale and he probably thought it would be expensive too. In fact, the first person I talked to about the rifle, who turned out to not be the seller, mentioned how he had looked at it and also thought it was very nice and he thought it would be very expensive due to the other rifles the seller had on his table. As an example, the seller had a special display table (most not for sale) of most every WWII & earlier Colt semi-auto & cartridge revolver made. It was impressive. Along with a large number of Colt & Winchester rifles, plus Winchester parts.
The owner of The Gun Works did remember it from earlier, and beat me back over to it as a prank after I had discussed it with him... I figure that if he thought it was a good buy, it was. In addition, he knew the seller, they went way back. If anyone thinks this is a hoax, well, you can ask him. I can only post photos of it.
FWIW the regular Siler uses a frizzen spring that attaches with a screw into a threaded hole in the lockplate. The deluxe Siler's frizzen spring is attached with a screw through from the rear and screws into a tapped hole in the frizzen spring. The deluxe Siler frizzen snaps open and closed much smoother to me. So the lock plates are definitely different from the regular to the deluxe as is the frizzen and cock or so I've been told. The tumbler and sear are highly polished and the ones on my deluxe Siler are plum colored.
Bob
Bob
54ball
62 Cal.
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I'm just letting you know how lucky you are to score such a fine rifle for such little money. Like I said it almost sounds too good to be true.
To sell one of these for what they are worth, you have to find the market.
You could sell that rifle as is on the classified here, The Contemporary Makers Blog,ALR, or consignment on Track of the Wolf or Clay Smith and easily quadruple your money. You could get more for it too if you were willing to let it sit for a while until the right buyer comes along..
To sell one of these for what they are worth, you have to find the market.
You could sell that rifle as is on the classified here, The Contemporary Makers Blog,ALR, or consignment on Track of the Wolf or Clay Smith and easily quadruple your money. You could get more for it too if you were willing to let it sit for a while until the right buyer comes along..
Yeah, it does seem like it found me. As you can tell I'm not very familiar with all of the design trade-offs/options to know that they had better balanced long rifles than I had seen.
Here is a photo of the inside of the lock, showing what appears to me to be back-to-back R's. Kind of like they do with fancy cattle brands. I haven't cleaned the lock at all so you'll see some crud.
I think if you want a better view of the marking you might be able to zoom in on the photo via photobucket? I can but then again it might be because I created it.
Here is a photo of the inside of the lock, showing what appears to me to be back-to-back R's. Kind of like they do with fancy cattle brands. I haven't cleaned the lock at all so you'll see some crud.
I think if you want a better view of the marking you might be able to zoom in on the photo via photobucket? I can but then again it might be because I created it.
I couldn't find an image of the inside of a Chambers lock on the Chambers page but found this at Track of the Wolf. The lock I have matches the Chambers Golden Age lock size, however the internals of the deluxe Siler better match mine (there is a screw missing in the GA lock that the deluxe Siler does have). Also, note the interior markings of the deluxe Siler and compare to mine:
Chambers deluxe Siler:
Chambers Golden Age:
My rifle:
Chambers deluxe Siler:
Chambers Golden Age:
My rifle:
The lockplate has been heat blued. Nice touch! 
smooth1
32 Cal.
kudos, Ocelot
nchawkeye
58 Cal.
I would email Jim Chambers at www.flintlocks.com and send him those pictures and ask him if it is a Siler...
I'd also ask how much he would charge to replace the spring and fine tune and clean that lock...
I have done that with a couple of mine through the years and it is well worth it to let him go through it for you...
I'd also ask how much he would charge to replace the spring and fine tune and clean that lock...
I have done that with a couple of mine through the years and it is well worth it to let him go through it for you...
Last edited by a moderator:
Larry
VERY NICE rifle you found!I could NEVER get that lucky!!!!! :hatsoff:
nchawkeye, thanks for the recommendation.
Jim Chambers has replied and the lock is what I *first* thought it was, a Golden Age lock. I was fooled by the GA picture from Track of the Wolf, where I could barely see something that I didn't think at first was a screw slot. Anyway, that explains the size difference. So I now know what lock I have.
In addition, another custom rifle builder said that the rifle looked like a Chambers York. So I sent a few photos and Jim Chambers agrees that it is from one of his Pennsylvania York kits. There are a number of options to choose from so these pictures aren't totally representative. But the styling, trigger guard, trigger, lock, etc. match very well. I just made a quick check of what the raw kit + optional parts would cost and came up with ~$1200. It might be off a bit but it's in the ballpark.
So this pretty much sums up this investigation I think. Lock identified, stock identified, and the barrel is most probably a Rice Golden Age/York, option B in .50 cal.
Jim Chambers has replied and the lock is what I *first* thought it was, a Golden Age lock. I was fooled by the GA picture from Track of the Wolf, where I could barely see something that I didn't think at first was a screw slot. Anyway, that explains the size difference. So I now know what lock I have.
In addition, another custom rifle builder said that the rifle looked like a Chambers York. So I sent a few photos and Jim Chambers agrees that it is from one of his Pennsylvania York kits. There are a number of options to choose from so these pictures aren't totally representative. But the styling, trigger guard, trigger, lock, etc. match very well. I just made a quick check of what the raw kit + optional parts would cost and came up with ~$1200. It might be off a bit but it's in the ballpark.
So this pretty much sums up this investigation I think. Lock identified, stock identified, and the barrel is most probably a Rice Golden Age/York, option B in .50 cal.
You are a lucky man :thumbsup: Great find,now go buy Lotto tickets :haha:
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