Greenhorn needs info

[Chevy65jim]

Hello everyone,my names Jim and Im new to the forum and to muzzle loaders. I am going to post a picture ( think positive ) of three guns I need info on. I have these guns as gaurantee of loan and it looks like I may be a "draftee" into the tradition.
I would like to keep all.but I would like to know about what I could expect to get if I had to sell ,also,how bad(or good) a deal I[url] got.WAGS[/url] will be OK as long as there is some consistancy.
Knowing the cal. and appr. age would be nice.Provided an expert in the field says "shoot um",are they practical for hunting? OK,a little info,top gun, bores are appr. .433 "P.Post,N.Y."
Second gun,bore appr..360 "J.Griffiths Cin"
Third gun,bore appr. .360 "Ford Brothers"
Thanks for any info you may be able to provide,if more pics would help I will try,later,Jim

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[davy]

 

[Chevy65jim]

Mornin,Davy. I must be missin somethin as far as your reply. All I see is picture of three guns that look an awful lot like mine. Jim

 

[RC]

ah, he's jes makin the pic bigger...lots of us got bad eyes.....bigger is better...i see 'em now! :thumbsup: RC

 

[Chevy65jim]

I'll make um big as a house if you want,my eyes aint all that.Jim

 

[RC]

an now that i can see's 'em...they is purdy! what cha gonna do with 'em??? course eyes is bad..if'n ya send to me i could sorta get the feel of 'em....? hmmm? please? even jes one.....hmmm?RC

 

[Chevy65jim]

Well,I am the pilgram.....tell ya what- you post yer adress and I'll send ya a new pair o specks,cant beat that,huh? Jim

 

[silverfox]

All I can say is WQW. They are nice looking and look like they are original or very good customs. You did not say how much the loan was for so can't say if you got a good deal. Looks good to me. I don't recoginize the names but there were lots of makers back then. You will get many more and probably better answers. I could be happy with just one like thoses. They would start a nice collection.
Fox :hatsoff:

 

[jlynn]

Joseph Griffith built in Cin. and Louisville, Ky 1840's to about 1870. I have my great GRAND FATHER'S FULL STOCK Griffith stamped J. Griffith, Louisville,Ky on the flat-drum and nipple with a 48inch barrel. Your half stock appears of later style than mine. Griffith I think had a contract with USG for Mississippi Rifles and defaulted. Hope this helps some. Nice rifles

 

[Zonie]

They all look like Ohio guns to me.
The top rifle looks like a swivel barrel rifle which would make it rather unique.
Both the top rifle and the bottom rifle have a mild "fish belly" stock which was in style in the mid 1800s.

The J Griffith could be Joseph Griffith as jl said, or it could be John Griffiths who worked in Cincinnati Ohio, 1839 to 1865.

My limited information doesn't list a Ford Brothers however it does give a D. Ford who built rifles in Abbeyville, Medina Co., Ohio in 1862-1865.

My information doesn't give any information about a P Post. It does give a J. Post who made ring trigger pepperbox pistols but doesn't give a location.

Of course, there is no guarantee that any of the above mentioned gunsmiths had anything to do with your guns, but on the other hand, it is possible.

As for values, as was once said to me, their worth what you can get for them.
Off hand, assuming the bores are in as good of condition as the outsides, I would guess they each should be worth more than $700 but less than $2000.
That's a wide range, I know but the only people who would spend more than that would be collectors, and the gun would have to be of a period and style to match what they were collecting. Of course, one of these collectors would also have to know the gun was for sale.

As for the lower value, that is based on a person who would be more interested in actually shooting the gun, so it's mechanical condition would have to be sound.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help to you.

zonie

 

[jlynn]

Thanks for the info on John Griffiths as I was not familiar with him. I suspect that he is the maker of the rifle above in that I have seen 3 other Joe G rifles and all were fullstock like mine and do not remotely resemble the stock and tguard style of the above picture. Ever seen a Joe G Halfstock?? Really enjoy your posts as you have good info and stick to the question at hand w/o lengthly "essays".

 

[Harley Donaldson]

The top gun in the photo was made by Barry C. Wood Painted Post New York.I have one very similar to yours except that mine has set triggers and target sights. Walnut stock and iron trim VERY well made guns. the twist in my gun is i-24" so it probably shot a little sugar loaf bullet. Had it 57 years and wouldn't take a pretty for it. Barry made combination guns as well as pistols. Hope that this helps.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Harley: What vintage is the piece? When did this builder make rifles. I saw the back action lock and thought probably the 1870s, but it obviously could be earlier.

 

[Slamfire]

I ain't gonna sugar coat this like them other fellers, them guns is UGLY! I gather from yore post that yore worried about default on the loan. Now I wouldn't make this offer to jest anyone, but you said you wuz new at this. Box them up and send them and the note to me, and I'll keep them ugly guns and hound the deadbeat until somebody sends you the money. :rotf: Don't be doin' this agin, as my resorses are limited. :shake:

 

[Chevy65jim]

Thanks to all who replyed,I knew I had found the right place for my answers to questions. Zonie made my day with his est. of value,I could probably sell one and break even.(I see someone typing "with one?" right now RC )
Harley,sounds like you nver fired yours. Mine appeares to be rifle over shotgun(hex bore over round) both with rifling .433".
Now,if I could just sit down with Slamfire,RC and a cooler full o beer,I'd really get the lowdown. Thanks,Jim

 

[RC]

YEE HAW! okay i'm buyin, but it's Coors..Original! wonder how many cans i can get in my gun case...hafta have something to bring back MY gun in... :winking: RC

 

[Harley Donaldson]

Everything that I have found dates B.C. Wood from the late 1850's to 1874 He apparently started in painted post and later moved to syracuse. I have seen several of his guns through the years side locks and underhammers, rifles and pistols. He also had sons who were gunmakers. Don't know their names ot any info. I feel that he made some of his locks as well, the lock that I have has an ear on the forward end that fits into a recess on the breech. the lock has one fancy spring that serves both as a sear and mainspring.

 

[Harley Donaldson]

This rifle was the first, quality rifle I ever bought. I shot it for a few years with a 375 round ball and thirty grains of 3f. Had to keep the charge down because of the fast twist.I retired it early because it was too nice to shoot all the time in competition.

 

[Slamfire]

YEE HAW! okay i'm buyin, but it's Coors..Original! wonder how many cans i can get in my gun case...hafta have something to bring back MY gun in... :winking: RC

Ok but I'm only allowed to drink RC Diet! :redface:

 

[RC]

Okay, but that stuff cost more than the coors! soooo, you gotta supply the firewood,,,i wood(?) but i'm usin it here in n.y. NOW! BRRRRRRRRRRR! RC