Mystery 40 cal rifle

[combat32]

I bought this 40 about a month ago, my pics don't do it justice today as it is cloudy and cold outside. Very pretty curly maple stock, it was missing the rear sight when I bought it and I am just about done with the replacement, I went with a buckhorn style, just waiting on the browning to cure. The lock says Goulcher, which looks to be old, but most everything else on this rifle looks new like a fairly recent build. I have no history on it. It came from the estate of a gentleman who passed not too long ago. I bought several guns from his collection, most are new repos, never fired, I do know this came out of the central Illinois area.

Can't be an original gun, looks too good, other than the lock I can find no markings on it anywhere, and I really dont want to take it apart. Anyone here seen one like this?

I would say it has been fired, but not much, of course I'm gonna shoot it.

 

[tenngun]

Don’t think it origanal, but fine looking SMR. You can be proud of it

 

[user 48679]

Can't be an original gun, looks too good, other than the lock I can find no markings on it anywhere, and I really dont want to take it apart. .

IMO, it's a genny...

It's a little hard to see, but there's a mark on the lockplate that may say "Golcher"

If it does, Joseph Golcher was a lockmaker who was located in Philadelphia PA circa the mid 19th century.

His locks were sold to gunsmiths all over the country, particularly in the East.

He made percussion and flint gun locks circa 1825 - 1860

 

[combat32]

Lockplate is marked G. Golcher, but I just saw on TOW website that they sell repo locks marked like this, I think it was just aged, it's a nice rifle seems to be well made by someone with some skills.

 

[azmntman]

"Joseph Golcher was a lockmaker who was located in Philadelphia PA circa the mid 19th century". My Money says he probably did some pretty nice work, and had the skills you speak of at least as well as folks these days. My opinion only. Hope it original, that would be TOO COOL>

 

[2 shots]

i think you could tell if lock is repro by the thread of the screws.