grampa's gun

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bigmac1592

Pilgrim
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When I was 14 back in the 60's my grandfather gave me this rifle. He said it was his fathers and may have been his grandfathers. I would like some information if at all possible on what I have.It is .44/.45 caliber. I will attach some photo's. Any information would be appreciated. Grandfather had 300 acre farm in western New York Madison County.
grampasnowsgun001.jpg

grampasnowsgun005.jpg

grampasnowsgun010.jpg
 
Welcome to the forum :)

You have a neat old gun there !

Without any markings on the barrel it's hard to say who made it but based on the lock and butt plate it looks to have been made sometime between 1835 and 1860.

If there are any markings or initials they could give a clue to the builder.
 
I can't help with identification but it is a treasure for sure.
Take good care of it.

:hatsoff:

HD
 
There COULD be markings on the bottom of the barrel, but I wouldn't dismount the barrel unless you know exactly what you are doing. You could chip wood or mar the finish by doing so, and that rifle didn't remain in that nice condition by being knocked about. I'm guessing you have already looked inside the patchbox for any clues?
 
If only that gun could talk, what a story it would tell...

The gun builders of old were masters at their craft and your Grandpa's gun is a prime example of their work.
 
What a great gift for a Grandfather to pass on to a Grandson.Good luck finding the maker :thumbsup:
 
First off!

Welcome to the forum :hatsoff:

Next off!

Take that wonderful piece of history outside, and shoot pictures in the daylight for us to see.

With bright closeup pics, much can be said about that gun! Show us the lock, stock and barrel as much as possible!

Thanks for posting!

The information we provide is free anyway :grin:
 
Thanks for the interest. It is currently raining cats and dogs,so no outside photos.I looked further and believe under the hammer it says S.Holmes Warranted and on the patch box it looks like it was stamped in tiny letters VID. I was wondering if I should do anything as far as cleaning or oiling the gun. I don't have any local dealers to ask and its funny cause I live in Norwich,Ct. which was the home of
many firearms mfg companies.
 
I do not recommend cleaning the gun, but some oiling to the lock, barrel, and bore is not really a problem. I would suggest a light coating of olive oil for starters!

Holmes is likely the lock maker only, and the gun was built by someone else. Is there any markings on the barrel at all?? What does the muzzle look like??

Look very close!
 
While others may disagree, in my opinion you really don't want to do anything that would remove or damage the finish on the wood or the brass.

If areas look dirty you can make up a little water and dish washing soap, going easy on the soap.
Use a clean cotton rag slightly wetted with this solution and gently rub the dirty areas.

If a blackened area doesn't seem to want to clean up with this method, you are not looking at dirt.
Over time, most of the finishes that were used will oxidize and turn black.
While this tends to cover the underlying wood you don't want to remove it. Doing so will expose the underlying wood to the air and will reduce any collector value the gun currently has.

Likewise, don't polish the brass parts. The patina that has developed over the years adds to its charm and its collector value.

After cleaning off the loose dirt you should use a quality paste wax to wax all of the exposed surfaces including the barrel.
 
What a great gift! Heed the advise offered here and just gently wipe off loose grime, then sit back and enjoy it.
 
I would like to add one thing if I may, is it loaded?

it was a common practice long ago to leave guns loaded in case of an attack.
 
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