Inherited Rifle - What is it?

[IanH]

Well, the OP hasn't been on since post #17 so I think the horse is starting to stink.

 

[smoothshooter]

I just recently inherited some family antique rifles and would like to know what I have. One looks like a Lancaster tiger maple stock with a 35.5" barrel and about .33" bore . Attached are some pictures. Can anybody help with me with what it is?
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I just recently inherited some family antique rifles and would like to know what I have. One looks like a Lancaster tiger maple stock with a 35.5" barrel and about .33" bore . Attached are some pictures. Can anybody help with me with what it is?
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I think the gun was originally flint, and the lock and hammer are from a very old conversion. The hammer geometry is not quite right, and pretty ugly, and probably came from another rifle, and the lock plate too. It is obviously functional.
The rest of the rifle is exquisite, and should be carefully and slightly restored to stop any active rusting Inside and out. Maybe apply some Ren Wax to wood and metal.
This gun deserves restoration/preservation done by someone with a lot of experience and knowledge aged wood preservation; not someone who has refinished a few deer rifle stocks and fancies himself as an expert on antique preservation.
There are people here who can guide you to the right person to do the work.

 

[user 34300]

The ALR website is frequented by the necessary experts.

 

[smoothshooter]

Don’t let anyone come within 6 feet of it with a piece of sandpaper or wood stain.

 

[HSmithTX]

The reason that antiques that retain the original finish are worth so much is because misguided people have ruined most examples over the years. They are very scarce. Scarce means money.

There is nothing wrong with conserving it. That entails stopping active rust and preserving the original finish. There are non destructive ways to do that. Mark Novak has lots of YouTube videos that explain it. The work is specialized and requires knowledge and experience.

Polishing it up, sanding the wood, and rebluing the metal is an abomination. The monetary value and historical value will be destroyed. If that is done it will not look like it was originally made anyway. It will look sad to anyone who knows what they are looking at.

The argument that it is my gun I can do what I want does not hold water. It is not your gun. It is an artifact of history that you have custody of for short period of time. Sure you can destroy it if you want. You can trade it for tickets at a gun buy back with the cops. Either way you would be stealing from future generations. When we encounter an artifact that still shows the work of a maker that has been dead for hundreds of years, we have a responsibility to preserve his legacy. It is a window to the past that can never be replaced.

IF you want to shoot a historically correct long rifle get a Kibler or a Chambers. Unless you know what you are doing oil it sparingly and leave it alone.

This is very well stated, should be saved for future use when these questions come up in my opinion.

 

[Mad L]

My take on these old, rare finds: It Was Build To G BOOM!
Someone put a lot of hard work, sweat, and perhaps blood to build it, and a handsome piece such as it should LIVE!

Now, I would not 'change' anything, patina to me is good so long as it's not 'rot'.
Of course the barrel is the main thing; if it's not rusting through, not cracked, the breach is solid - 'Restore' her and let her live on making Noise as she was intended to!
I am pretty sure her builder is laying peacefully in his grave, smiling, and wondering:

"Have they taken care of my creation? Have they kept her oiled? Is she still putting meat on someone's table? Did she stay in the family or did she change hands?"

I would think that a builder of fine workmanship has dreams and visions of their work living on longer then someone else's creation. Wild dreams of futuristic worlds where someone out there is still enjoying his craftsmanship and shoving round ball down that barrel long after all the craftsmans have long vanished....and while he plays these visions in his mind, he smiles.

If a historic piece can be safely restored to keep firing: then Honor the builder, and Honor the the peice he built.
Once it can no longer fire (for what ever reason) THEN hang it on the wall, or in a museum and have dreams about its life and its maker....then they can smile together.

No builder takes the time to put good work into a finely crafted firearm with the notion of "I hope when I'm gone someone hangs this on their wall and just looks at it"

.....oh, and Before you do Anything make sure it's not loaded!!!
(I think that is forum rule or something that we say that...)

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Mad L. - That was very well stated!!

 

[cynthialee]

I'm not sure I would consider Patina "Decay".

Look at these two coins I have in my collection. Both are Morgan silver dollars from the 1880s the one on the left is pretty shiny, but on the right not so much.
Do you think I should get the silver polish out and go to work on it? On coins, it's called toning but it's just a patina really.
The toned coin is worth 3 times more than the shiny one just because of the toning.

the entirety of my point sits in those two coins though!

The patina coin is only more valuable because someone said so. Appointed experts (many self promoted) in the numismatic society decided that the patina coin has more value. But it doesn't actually add a thing to true value. If we had to melt down the silver for use in something, we would have to clean that patina off before we throw it into a melt pot, otherwise you will have more slag in the melt and impurities in the silver object we would cast from the coin. The value added is not an actual true thing. It is an arbitrarily decided thing.

And when I look at the two coins, the one with no patina is much more attractive. Would I clean the coin? No, but only because I know that some silly people have decided it has more value looking used and ugly. That choice would be made solely for monetary reasons and not out of appreciation for schmutz.

 

[Mulebrain]

Can anyone make out the name on the lock plate? Strickland?

It appears this rifle may have been a flint conversion
I also see a break repair in the wrist

 

[andy52]

the entirety of my point sits in those two coins though!

The patina coin is only more valuable because someone said so. Appointed experts (many self promoted) in the numismatic society decided that the patina coin has more value. But it doesn't actually add a thing to true value. If we had to melt down the silver for use in something, we would have to clean that patina off before we throw it into a melt pot, otherwise you will have more slag in the melt and impurities in the silver object we would cast from the coin. The value added is not an actual true thing. It is an arbitrarily decided thing.

And when I look at the two coins, the one with no patina is much more attractive. Would I clean the coin? No, but only because I know that some silly people have decided it has more value looking used and ugly. That choice would be made solely for monetary reasons and not out of appreciation for schmutz.

You're correct in your thinking that most of the things you are talking about have an applied value that is not actual. Many collectibles are essentially worthless but for eccentric value. Numismatic collectors like the toned coin because the detail is easier to see on them.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

That one needs to be left alone, it's in extremely good condition as is and doesn't appear to have had the "restorer's" favorite trick of slathering it in Tru-Oil to "preserve" it for hanging on the wall.

I second this. If it is "restored" it may loose some of it's value. The only exception to what was in this post is to use a good, museum preservative. I suggest Renaissance Wax. It is a bit expensive, but worth it. And no, I have no idea why it says unisex adult. It has nothing to do with that, whatever it is.

 

[IanH]

Yeah, definitely "for external use only"!

 

[Mad L]

Renaissance Wax is great stuff and a little goes a Log Way.
It is used in European museums as it does not alter the metal, wood, etc and can be removed without altering the surface material it was put on. Great Stuff.
I had no idea they had various gender versions.....we live in an odd world today.

 

[RuffRyder]

I just recently inherited some family antique rifles and would like to know what I have. One looks like a Lancaster tiger maple stock with a 35.5" barrel and about .33" bore . Attached are some pictures. Can anybody help with me with what it is?
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That is a beautiful piece! Lewis is my wife’s

I just recently inherited some family antique rifles and would like to know what I have. One looks like a Lancaster tiger maple stock with a 35.5" barrel and about .33" bore . Attached are some pictures. Can anybody help with me with what it is?
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Such a beautiful rifle! Lewis Fondersmith was my wife’s 3rd great grandfather! His father was John Fondersmith, one of the twin brother gunsmiths from Lancaster County (John & Valentine). Treasure that rifle and definitely do some research before doing anything to it (other than checking that it’s unloaded!)