Flintlock Identity?

[vvcollectible]

I acquired a flintlock rifle and can not find any info at all on it. It is marked " 164 " Schley Howard Decatur Ga. 1960.
Looks to be very old but I'm not sure. Anyone ever heard of this? Any info would be helpful. I have pictures but not sure how to attach them here. Thanks for any info you can give...

 

[J.D.]

Just a guess, but I would say the gun is about 50 years old, made by Schley Howard in Decatur Ga. sometime in 1960. :wink:

sorry, I couldn't help myself. OK, so I could, but didn't. :v

hotoSmile:

 

[JV Puleo]

Or, he could have been a collector and marked his items with his name and a number. This was very common many years ago and is still common in the museum world although it is done with india ink. You didn't say "how" it was marked... stamped, engraved, written on...
Pictures would tell.

 

[texcl]

The most likely scenario is that it was built in 1960 and the name on the barrel is the builder.

 

[smokin45]

.im sure you already have..web search you would
be suprized gun builders you can find. start
with just a name is it a nice Rifle??im sure we all
would luv to see it..

 

[vvcollectible]

I acquired a flintlock rifle and can not find any info at all on it. It is marked " 164 " Schley Howard Decatur Ga. 1960.
Looks to be very old but I'm not sure. Anyone ever heard of this? Any info would be helpful. I have pictures but not sure how to attach them here. Thanks for any info you can give...

I figured out the pictures for everyone to see.
http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/z447/vvcollectible/

 

[JV Puleo]

That looks to me like a genuine old rifle thats suffered some heavy-handed "fixing-up", including the replacement of the lock and a new drum and nipple - probably to make it shootable. The date is right. Back in the 60s almost everyone who shot muzzleloaders used originals. There simply weren't any reproductions to buy and the originals were cheap enough in any case. I suspect the name/date is who did the work or maybe the owner. I've no idea what the "164" is but I stand by my earlier guess that it could be a collection number. Having several hundred guns wasn't much of a problem when you could often get them for free or for a few dollars. Only a handful of people were even making muzzle loaders in 1960.

It isn't a flintlock either... its percussion.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Not much I can tell you except that the lock is not original to the gun if metal to wood fit is any indication. It also appears that the trigger may not be either and that the two panels on either side of the patch box are missing. The drum has been replaced by a new one. However, I found two references to Schley Howard the gunsmith. There was also another Schley Howard who was supposedly a brilliant lawyer in Georgia. (Possibly the same man but I don't know).

Howard built guns from at least as early as the 1930's to sometime in the 1960's. He was said to be pretty cantankerous and cranky. He did build some flintlocks and your gun may have originally been one. I believe he lived in the Decatur area.

Hope this helps.

 

[gordy]

I certainly don"t have the knowledge of many here , but going by the photos I"d have to guess it may well have been converted to percussion. the stock dos not seem to fit the lock or furniture properly .I would think it was a barn gun. :idunno:

 

[Tumblernotch]

I looked at the pictures some more and though Schley Howard obviously stamped the barrel in 1960 and supposedly this was #164, the wood looks quite older than that. Someone could have assembled a rifle from miscellaneous parts, including a barrel from one of his. It's obvious that hardly anything on here looks as though it belongs.

I've seen fairly recent guns that have been abused so that the wood looks very old, but this wood really looks old. You could probably tell more by taking it completely apart. At least you know where the barrel came from.

 

[vvcollectible]

Thanks for all the info. I got brave and took the thing apart. Maybe this will tell more about the age and condition. The trigger is marked James Bown Pittsburgh. I attached more photos.
http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/z447/vvcollectible/

 

[Twice boom]

Thanks for all the info. I got brave and took the thing apart. Maybe this will tell more about the age and condition. The trigger is marked James Bown Pittsburgh. I attached more photos.
http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/z447/vvcollectible/[/quote]

I suspect the gun was made up from many parts. The trigger plate belongs to a shot gun. James Brown and Son where shotgun makers out of wood street Pittsburg ,Pa.1875-1890.
Twice.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Not necessarily. They also made and imported rifles and pistols, parts and gunsmith's tools. Also known for long range sights.