Opinions on unmarked .45 rifle

[RockingKJ]

Nicely made heavy .45 cal rifle. I could be wrong but thinking it’s an old rifle in outstanding condition. Not marked anywhere. Nickel silver guard and butt plate. Patch box brass with nickel plating showing wear thru. Couple of nifty extra features. Captured wedge and a patch worm that self stores on the ramrod. Opinions?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Dandy rifle, could have been made from the 1850s to recently. Good craftsmenship threw out.

 

[RockingKJ]

Dandy rifle, could have been made from the 1850s to recently. Good craftsmenship threw out.

Thanks. Great shooter too. Won a woods walk shoot with it a year ago and was basically guessing load and hold. Fortunately it worked well.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I like it! I'll admit I'm biased though. The top rifle is my ancestor's 40 cal. that's not a shooter. The one below it is a 32 I built years ago and the one below that is my latest, a 35 cal. I have a 45 in the works as well. Back action half stocks are my "thing".

 

[RockingKJ]

I like it! I'll admit I'm biased though. The top rifle is my ancestor's 40 cal. that's not a shooter. The one below it is a 32 I built years ago and the one below that is my latest, a 35 cal. I have a 45 in the works as well. Back action half stocks are my "thing".

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Dandy rifles!

 

[Hermit Tim]

I like it! I'll admit I'm biased though. The top rifle is my ancestor's 40 cal. that's not a shooter. The one below it is a 32 I built years ago and the one below that is my latest, a 35 cal. I have a 45 in the works as well. Back action half stocks are my "thing".

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Why is that 40 not a shooter? She's too purdy to ignore.

 

[SDSmlf]

Opinions?

Depends if you are buying or selling and the price.

 

[deerstalkert]

i will give an opinion and you know what free opinions are worth.
very good craftsmanship through out. someone knew what he was doing, in the late 1970's or there abouts. that is when i first started using that checkering pattern.
also, looking at the muzzle, there is no crown and no sign of wear that one sees on the old stuff.
next the nose cup of the hammer has no corrosion, the nipple barely shows use, though that could be a modern replacement on an old gun.
the worm is exactly like one i used from TOTW. love it.
lastly, the screws, specifically the notching just look modern to me somehow.
this in now way takes away the fact that that is a fine and finely built rifle. I would be a proud owner of it if it were mine.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Why is that 40 not a shooter? She's too purdy to ignore.

The bore has some pretty bad pitting in it and the breach plug is only finger tight. Over the years I've thought of ways to get it shooting but it's better off hanging on the wall in a place of honor. About 54 years ago I loaded it up with a ball from Dixie Gun Works and proof fired it with a light load. It held together so I loaded it up and hiked up a hill behind the house to a place that overlooked a pond. There was a nice mallard paddling around on the pond so I touched off a shot at it. Missed him by several feet and that was the last time it was fired. I wasn't too many miles from where my 3G Grandfather is buried and I remember hoping that he heard the shot but was probably cussing me for missing.

 

[RockingKJ]

i will give an opinion and you know what free opinions are worth.
very good craftsmanship through out. someone knew what he was doing, in the late 1970's or there abouts. that is when i first started using that checkering pattern.
also, looking at the muzzle, there is no crown and no sign of wear that one sees on the old stuff.
next the nose cup of the hammer has no corrosion, the nipple barely shows use, though that could be a modern replacement on an old gun.
the worm is exactly like one i used from TOTW. love it.
lastly, the screws, specifically the notching just look modern to me somehow.
this in now way takes away the fact that that is a fine and finely built rifle. I would be a proud owner of it if it were mine.
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A good and thoughtful evaluation with excellent points. The nice thing about a good well made rifle is it a pleasure to own and shoot regardless of age. Thanks

 

[44Bro]

One of the things that says "Contemporary" to me, is the placement of the nipple. Most of the original guns seem to have the nipple a bit closer to the centerline of the barrel. Mostly centered on the outer flat.

 

[deerstalkert]

A good and thoughtful evaluation with excellent points. The nice thing about a good well made rifle is it a pleasure to own and shoot regardless of age. Thanks

if i came dragging that into the house I would be wiggling like a new puppy so hard I wouldn't even hear the wife's " not another one!"

 

[RockingKJ]

if i came dragging that into the house I would be wiggling like a new puppy so hard I wouldn't even hear the wife's " not another one!"

Yeah my wife says that every time I bring a new adoptee. Usually followed by “How many do you need?” Not a matter of need but rather want. lol.

 

[RockingKJ]

One of the things that says "Contemporary" to me, is the placement of the nipple. Most of the original guns seem to have the nipple a bit closer to the centerline of the barrel. Mostly centered on the outer flat.

I have seen that and primarily on flint to percussion conversations. Here is an old .38 with a Golcher lock. No question this is an antique rifle. Few hard and fast rules except ML rifles are fascinating.

 

[44Bro]

I have seen that and primarily on flint to percussion conversations. Here is an old .38 with a Golcher lock. No question this is an antique rifle. Few hard and fast rules except ML rifles are fascinating.

If you study the old Hawken and other snail breech rifles, you notice the outside of snail seems to be flush with the lockplate. All modern rifles the snail overhangs the lockplate.