Muzzle Loader ID help

[Bull1315]

First off, thank you for having me. I have a small gunsmithing business here in Indiana and do a bit of restoration/conservation on older guns. I have a recent customer who brought in 3 old muzzle loading rifles for some cleaning and a little research to see what he has and what they may be worth. These guns were found boarded up inside a wall of a very old house along with some other items. I wont swamp you with all 3 at once. lol
This first gun is a 36 caliber ML with a very large heavy barrel. I can find no markings on it except for the sidelock which is stamped "Ketland &Co.. 1860"
and the initials "G.L.A." on the trigger guard. It has a cheek piece on the left side of the stock. A brass insert in the rear open sight. a brass under rib with some artistic carvings, and some checkering.
I know the Ketland and company made locks but i have no idea who the builder of the gun was. This one is pretty fancy compared to what i usually see.
I have not had much dealing with a ML in this style before. It seems like it may have been made special for an individual possibly. I have taken the gun apart and gave it a very gentle cleaning and it appears to be original handmade from what i can tell. Very decent shape and all parts work.

Any info or help is appreciated.

Bull

 

[hrt4me]

nice looking rifle

 

[user 48679]

Taking into consideration the shape/size of the buttplate & cheekpiece, plus what looks like a much older barrel, I can say that I've never seen an original muzzleloader that looked like that.

I would respectfully opine that it is an older rifle updated for some individual's off-hand shooting.

 

[Bull1315]

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Well not too many years to follow that Ketland date, black powdah "Schuetzen" shooting became the most popular active participation AND viewing sport in the country. Most rifles had similar stock designs/profiles, high combs to aid in sighting and prongs on the buttplate.

To me I'd say that rifle was purpose built for offhand shooting! I find it to be an excellent example of a muzzleloading Schuetzen rifle!

 

[Rudyard]

Well Flints got that pegged but that lock has Nothing to do with the original Ketland locks except by chance the makers name was also Ketland looks more US Civil war to me .
Rudyard

 

[TFoley]

Well, this old furriner took one look at the caliber, then a second look at the hook-style butt-plate and thought 'schuetzen' rifle.

I can see nothing to change my mind.

 

[Prowler5149]

Wow what a find, I'm so jealous

 

[bpd303]

I agree it's a Schuetzen style off hand target rifle. Can't tell from the picture but probably a rifled bore. Have you had the butt plate off? I have worked on some very old rifles that had some very interesting notes written about them rolled up in a hollow space.