Gunshow find,....

[Harms Way]

I need information on this rifle please,...
"D Gray" 41" Barrel,.. 57" overall,The double set triggers are functioning like a Swiss watch... Here's the story...


Once again, It all happened by accident. My wife and I went to Mancelona Mi. over the weekend to visit friend's The Wife's went shopping,... So I mentioned a Gun Show in Kalkaska... My buddy isn't much of a gun guy, But off we went.

It was in a unfrozen Ice Arena called the "Kal-ossem" :grin: .... I didn't make it down the first isle and I seen what was left of this old smoke pole leaning against the wall behind a table. I asked if it was for sale,.. One guy looked at the other with a big grin and said "Well, It certainly is !" (An apparent inside joke I was not privy to).

As I took it in my hands I was amazed how solid it felt considering its missing parts and apparent lack of care for many years... Very slender, and felt very good in the hands. I said to the owner, How much ?.... And the dance began...

(Him)"How much will you give me ?".....(me) "I can't be the buyer and seller, she's really rough""... Yadda-yadda-yadda... You all know the dance,... Each of us waiting for the other to flinch, Like two gunfighters facing off in a cheesy old western...... I was just about to try to start the ball rolling by offering $80. and trying not to insult him.... But decided in another tactic... I thanked him for letting me look at it and started to set it back down (With a firm grip on it, Never really intending to let go.

Suddenly he blurts out. I know it's rough,... But it should be worth $50.00 ! :shocked2: :grin: :shocked2: As cooly as I could I reached into my pocket with one hand and a tightened grip on the poor old rifle... And counted him out two twenties and a ten..... And this guy gets a really big grin on his face. Looks at his buddy and says. "Looks like your buying the Beer tonight !!!"

He said, "I just bought that 20 minutes ago and he bet me I couldn't even get what I paid for it back out of it,.... I told him I could double my money,.. Well thanks to you, I doubled my money AND made an extra 10 bucks,... And he has to buy the Beer tonight !!! :shocked2: Really ????

Alright, With all that said, Here is what I ended up with for 50 fun tickets....

It's really rough, It's a full stock Percussion rifle, It looks to have very nice Maple under all the grunge, The stock is very solid, it has some scratches, but no cracks. The mainspring, Lock screw, Hammer, Hammer screw and nosecap are missing. It looks to be about a .36 Caliber.

The top of the barrel says "D.Gray"The Lock Plate has some pitting, But I can only make out "B&H M*******N" because of the pitting that's all I can make out.... I would really like to find history on this maker and on the Lock.

Either way,... It needed a new home, And I just couldn't leave it there...

So, What do you think Base hit ?, Home Run ?, Or fowl ball ? Worst case scenario I can leave it in the Canoe and it can double as a paddle and a anchor !

 

[Len Graves]

I would say " how handy are you?" If you wanted to get in shooting condition it will take some hunting up parts, maby someone to fresh out the barrel. Myself I think it would be a fun project. Fifty bucks? You can't even buy a piece of wood for that. I would like to see what you come up with. Good luck.

 

[nchawkeye]

I'd rebuild her...Make sure the barrel and breech are sound...Either replace or rebuild the lock...Freshen up the barrel, she may end up a .40...I'd keep charges around 25-45grs, which is plenty for small game...

 

[Billnpatti]

No, no ,no!!! For $50 you are the screwer and he is the screwee. I think you got a heck of a deal. Some serious cleaning, a few parts and possibly refreshing the barrel and you will have one sweet rifle. That is, if it is as good as it looks in the pictures.

Just make the needed repairs but do not refinish it. Leave the stock with the finish it now has and leave the outside of the barrel unchanged. Don't change its appearance more than you have to. It is just too beautiful just as it is.

 

[suzkat]

I'd throw it in the garbage.....what night does
your garbage go out to the curb? You got me
on the slender, that just how I like em. Other than the lock, what a great find. Won't be any trouble fixing the lock. Lucky
Looked up D. Gray in the Gluckman book of makers and nobody there. Gonna have to dig deeper to find him. Western PA? Closest I can find is
G & H McConklin location unknown.

 

[Harms Way]

Just found this on the internet with a picture,....

"This half-stock of fine curly maple is marked "D. Gray". Davis Gray was born in North Carolina and served his apprenticeship in Indiana under Robert Polk, who also hailed from North Carolina. Gray did, however; live his adult life in Greensboro, Indiana as a gunmaker. Note the long, low comb and graceful curves of the trigger guard."

 

[Harms Way]

Thought you might get a kick out of this,... I had some mild wood finish cleaner left from when I worked at the Henry Ford Museum (Where I did conservation on the car and firearms collection) and some Museum crystalline wax.... And a quick search of my spare parts yielded a hammer and screw (temporary). ( Sorry Billnpatti)

I'll try to get some better pictures later.

The old $50.00 smoke pole is looking a little better !

 

[suzkat]

That looks great. I would dull down that screw and it will be perfect.

 

[Harms Way]

Well, I can't get any better pictures, so for the time being, This is it. For the time being, It's sitting in the rack with it's new brothers,..... Enjoy.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/HarmsWay1932/Shootin Irons/DGray014.jpg?t=1396310774

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/HarmsWay1932/Shootin Irons/DGray015.jpg?t=1396310865

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/HarmsWay1932/Shootin Irons/DGray016.jpg?t=1396310937

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/HarmsWay1932/Shootin Irons/DGray017.jpg?t=1396311018
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/HarmsWay1932/Shootin Irons/DGray018.jpg?t=1396311095

 

[rickystl]

Hi Harms. I'd say you did real well!! While not in my normal area of collecting, I would be hard pressed to pass that gun up for $50.00!! Even $150.00 :haha: The stock looks real solid from the photos. At minimum, you will have a nice collectors piece.
If you do decide to make a shooter out of it, I would leave all the stock and metal patina as-is. The barrel can be refreshed. Might end up with a .40 caliber. :idunno: But the cost of getting the barrel back in shooting order would be miner considering your initial investment.
In any case, great find! By the way, what LOP does it come out with?
Rick. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Heelerau]

damn that is a diamond in the rough. Reckon it will clean up a treat! Good on ya mate !!!

 

[Tinker2]

Looks like a good deal to me.

Is it loaded?

Looks like a piece of wood added at the toe of the butt? Yes/no?

You got a good prize




William Alexander

 

[bpd303]

Home Run...fer sure.

 

[gunmaker43]

Grand slam--FOR FIFTY BUCKS---wow....

 

[Swede50]

If you don't ever shoot fix it up it will make a nice pattern to build its brother or sister.

 

[Heelerau]

Mate, a top find, give the boys on the AmericanLongRifles forums a look, they may be able to tell you what school of rifle builder it came from. How rough is the bore? and as someone else asked is it still loaded? Will look forward with interest to see what you do with it.

Cheers

heelerau