Hoping for information about a rifle

[Florida343]

This rifle was passed down to me from my father and it may go back further in my family. (I was two years old when he passed and never had the chance to learn) I was compiling information about my collection for my sons and I realized I know next to nothing about this rifle. It is a percussion, rifled muzzleloader, with an octagonal barrel. It appears to be ~.40 cal. It has brass furniture and the stock looks to be handmade. There are no makers marks or any identification marks on the rifle. I would love to know the approximate age and if anyone knows of any information about it's origins. Thanks for looking.

 

[sheriff john]

Well, it's a nice, old, well-worn rifle very typical of what folks used during the 19th (and, in some areas, well into the 20th centuries) every day. The smaller caliber was also common and if it has been freshed out, it still had a lot of "life" left. The front action lock was always a percussion lock, but the barrel ..who knows, may have been converted. What I see is contemporary with it's age.

Some prefer fancy-dancy, mint, unfired engraved, elaborate patchbox rifles, I like just what you have - an honest old hog rifle we wish could talk. Fun stuff. Thanks for posting.

 

[Rancocas]

I am certainly far from being an expert, however I will throw in my 2 cents and say that to me your rifle says "southern Appalachian with a Carolina influence. And I will guess mid to late 1800's. It's the trigger guard that makes me think of the Carolinas. But being a half stock, I think it might also descend from the mid-west. The deeply curved butt plate is seen both in southern mountain/Tennessee rifles and also in "Ohio" rifles, such as the well-known "Vincent rifle".
Well, except for that trigger guard, I'm leaning more to the mid-west. The pewter nose cap is an influencer, too.

So, now let's hear from the real experts. I'm curious if I'm anywhere near correct.