Grandfathers rifles

[Soupbone]

Thanks for any information.
So about 15 years ago my father passed away. When his father/ my grandfather passed in the eightys. We received these from my father's sister. My father said these weren't the good ones. But at least it was something. They have been in my closet in cases all these years. Having just caught the bp bug. So i joined the forum. And decided to dig these out. They are wall hangers for sure. I wish they could talk and just tell their stories. But alas, I'm already indebted to everyone who posts. Im not a writer. So I'll post pics. Thanks again.
Forgot to add. Up close lock is a 50cal
Other is? Measures .427 both busted stocks and rusted barrels and nipples. Locks work so do the triggers.

 

[Soupbone]

 

[Soupbone]

 

[FishDFly]

Enjoy them, they came from family.

 

[Soupbone]

Thanks @FishDFly. Wife wanted them hung up in the house when we got them. I just couldn't do it. Im more curious about the age of them.

 

[Artificer]

Thanks for any information.
So about 15 years ago my father passed away. When his father/ my grandfather passed in the eightys. We received these from my father's sister. My father said these weren't the good ones. But at least it was something. They have been in my closet in cases all these years. Having just caught the bp bug. So i joined the forum. And decided to dig these out. They are wall hangers for sure. I wish they could talk and just tell their stories. But alas, I'm already indebted to everyone who posts. Im not a writer. So I'll post pics. Thanks again.
Forgot to add. Up close lock is a 50cal
Other is? Measures .427 both busted stocks and rusted barrels and nipples. Locks work so do the triggers.

Welcome to the Forum!

The Long Rifle is the earliest of the two pieces, having been converted to percussion from the original flint lock and may go back to the late 18th century.

The half stock rifle probably is not much earlier than the 1840's.

Gus

 

[Soupbone]

Thanks @Artificer Way older than i thought. I figured they were from the 70s.

 

[Artificer]

Thanks @Artificer Way older than i thought. I figured they were from the 70s.

You are most welcome.

Hopefully those who are more knowledgeable than I will chime in later to give you the probable origin of the Long Rifle. I have a lot of books of that period, but don't know the fine details near as much as others, as I'm more into military arms.

Gus

 

[nchawkeye]

The writing on the barrel, does it say Gillespie??
If so, and I can't tell for sure, there were Gillespies that made rifles in the south western mountains of North Carolina...

 

[Kabulrocks]

Rub a tiny bit of talcum powder on the barrel marking and the letters should pop, making them easier to read.

 

[FishDFly]

Great idea.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

The hammer on the top rifle reminds me of a Bedford Co. hammer. I remember them being referred to as a “candlestick” hammer because of the spur. Doesn’t mean that it is, just reminds me of one.

 

[SmoothboreMurph]

I agree with @Artificer, the top long rifle has a lock marked "Warranted" these were mostly commercially sold locks used to convert flintlock rifles to Percussion rifles in the late 1820s to about 1850. They were manufactured and sold by an English man named Joesph Manton, later by a man named Joseph Lang after Manton went bankrupt on his invention of the tube lock ( used by the Austrian Army ). Lang produced these locks until 1861 when he was bought out and merged with the growing Birmingham Small Arms Company. The second rifle is definitely an 1840-1850 halfstock which was popular in that time period.

 

[Soupbone]

@nchawkeye . Not Gillespie. My Google fu is weak. Tried the talc, didn't help. But took some better pictures. Thank you all for the information. First is the long rifle it's lock. Second is the shorter rifle. This is stamped on top of the barrel. TIA.

 

[Soupbone]

thank you @SmoothboreMurph . Great info. Much appreciated.