"Long Tom" Historic Smoothbore Flintlock

[Tacksman45]

This is "Long Tom" a flintlock smoothbore which belonged to Buncombe County pioneer Daniel Smith, on display at the display at the Smith-McDowell House Museum in Asheville, North Carolina. Despite often being described as a "rifle" it is in fact a smoothbore, which appears to be around 10 gauge. The lock looks very similar to a Chambers Large Siler. Thoughts about the architecture, furniture, ect? Some descriptions include "pre-revolutionary," any thought on when this gun was built and by whom? Would this stock profile be appropriate for a pre-revolutionary longrifle? I will try to get some better pictures at some point. Thanks for looking!

Visiting Our Past: More WNC artifacts in Mr. Smith's musket and a WWII poster

 

[Tacksman45]

Additional pictures

 

[Tacksman45]

More pictures.

 

[Brokennock]

Interesting. Seems a lit of curve at the butt of the stock for something pre-revolution, but angles change things. The wrist looks really thick in one pic and about normal in another.

Your 3rd pic, the close up of the butt, almost looks like the stock was painted brown. Odd.

I'm sure some of our more studied members will have some interesting things to point out.
And our more self-appointed experts will have a whole lot to say

Thank you for sharing this.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I would place it post 1790. It's likely much later than my estimate.

 

[Ravenshurst]

Is the museums information questionable? If Daniel Smith carried the rifle to war in 1776......

 

[Blaze]

I'm curious as to the barrel length?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I'm curious as to the barrel length?

I'd guess she's at least a 60" barrel, at least from a visual comparison to my 54" & 60" barreled fowlers ...

 

[PathfinderNC]

Yup, looking at the butt stock… Wonder what nut painted it brown.

 

[Blaze]

I'd guess she's at least a 60" barrel, at least from a visual comparison to my 54" & 60" barreled fowlers ...

Thank you sir!

 

[nchawkeye]

That lock could have been a model for the Siler...Bud did a heck of a job when he designed it..

 

[Rancocas]

It has a full set of sights and that caused my first thought that it was made as a rifle and later bored out smooth. But, looking at the thinness of the barrel in the picture of the muzzle I think it was, indeed, made as a smoothbore. Smooth rifle?
The deeply curved butt and general shape of the stock makes me think post Revolution, probably after 1800.
The extra long barrel makes me think it was built for a special purpose. Waterfowling, perhaps? The much older Hudson River fowlers had similar long barrels. But, then with the full sights??? A "wall gun", maybe?