Please assist with identifying this rifle

[Big E]

This was found in the basement of my father in law's house after he died 20 years ago. My nephew had it since then until it was given to me yesterday. I have no other history but suspect my FIL got in trade for services; he was a roofer in the summer and furnace repairman in the winter, often helping people with not a lot of money.

I tried clearing off decades of dirt and corrosion on the lock plate and found some writing, but it is too corroded to make out more than a few letters. The hunter engraving behind the hammer is interesting.

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

 

[Rancocas]

The simple patch box, the style of trigger guard, and what appears to me to be a relatively short barrel (hard to tell from the pictures) tell me it may be from the mid-west. (Look up an image of a Vincent Rifle, and/or Ohio River and see how they compare)
I'm almost certain that is a Goulcher lock. These locks were made in the thousands and sold to gunsmiths all over the country for them to use in making their guns. I don't think that lock is original to the gun. It may have replaced an original flintlock.
I don't see any rifling in that barrel. Is it a smoothbore? How long is the barrel? What caliber?
Probably mid-1800's.
Anyway, that's my guess.

 

[Pukatea Bay Boy]

This was found in the basement of my father in law's house after he died 20 years ago. My nephew had it since then until it was given to me yesterday. I have no other history but suspect my FIL got in trade for services; he was a roofer in the summer and furnace repairman in the winter, often helping people with not a lot of money.

I tried clearing off decades of dirt and corrosion on the lock plate and found some writing, but it is too corroded to make out more than a few letters. The hunter engraving behind the hammer is interesting.

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

View attachment 370911View attachment 370912View attachment 370913View attachment 370914

Kia Ora from NZ. Nice find

 

[Big E]

The simple patch box, the style of trigger guard, and what appears to me to be a relatively short barrel (hard to tell from the pictures) tell me it may be from the mid-west. (Look up an image of a Vincent Rifle, and/or Ohio River and see how they compare)
I'm almost certain that is a Goulcher lock. These locks were made in the thousands and sold to gunsmiths all over the country for them to use in making their guns. I don't think that lock is original to the gun. It may have replaced an original flintlock.
I don't see any rifling in that barrel. Is it a smoothbore? How long is the barrel? What caliber?
Probably mid-1800's.
Anyway, that's my guess.

My FIL lived in Ohio his entire life, except for WWII service in Italy, so your regional guess is probably accurate. The barrel length is 34" and appears to be smooth bore. I don't have any tools to measure caliber, but appears to be around .32 using a tape measure.

I agree the lock is not original, the gap in the front of it is too sloppy for an original. The three letters I have uncovered on the lock appear to be "HER". So your insight of a Goulcher lock is probably correct.

Thank you for assistance. I appreciate you sharing knowledge.

 

[Big E]

Kia Ora from NZ. Nice find

Thanks

 

[Rancocas]

Ha. I meant to write Ohio Rifle - not Ohio River in my post above.
I have an original "Ohio Rifle" from the 1850's that was made by a gunsmith named "Wareham". His shop was near Akron, OH. Mine is also a .32, but rifled, and has about the same style butt plate and trigger guard as does yours. Mine also has a Goulcher lock. Mine also has the double-set trigger system as does yours. Mine has no half-cock notch. It is either fully cocked or fully down. The engraved hunter on the back end of the lock is the same as yours. Mine has a different style patchbox and is a half stock whereas yours is a full stock. Your patchbox and full stock could indicate a slightly earlier date, maybe the 1840's. 34" for that style of rifle is, I think, about normal as opposed to the older long rifles with 42 inch barrels or longer. Gun makers often engraved their name on the top of the barrel, near the breech. Check yours carefully.
Hopefully, some more knowledgeable people will join in soon with better info than I have.

Oh, and make sure your gun is not loaded. Old guns, even over 150 years old have been found to still be loaded. And it is possible they could still go off.

 

[Big E]

Ha. I meant to write Ohio Rifle - not Ohio River in my post above.
I have an original "Ohio Rifle" from the 1850's that was made by a gunsmith named "Wareham". His shop was near Akron, OH. Mine is also a .32, but rifled, and has about the same style butt plate and trigger guard as does yours. Mine also has a Goulcher lock. Mine also has the double-set trigger system as does yours. Mine has no half-cock notch. It is either fully cocked or fully down. The engraved hunter on the back end of the lock is the same as yours. Mine has a different style patchbox and is a half stock whereas yours is a full stock. Your patchbox and full stock could indicate a slightly earlier date, maybe the 1840's. 34" for that style of rifle is, I think, about normal as opposed to the older long rifles with 42 inch barrels or longer. Gun makers often engraved their name on the top of the barrel, near the breech. Check yours carefully.
Hopefully, some more knowledgeable people will join in soon with better info than I have.

Oh, and make sure your gun is not loaded. Old guns, even over 150 years old have been found to still be loaded. And it is possible they could still go off.

More great info. Thanks. The breech end of the barrel is corroded, but it looks like something was engraved on it at one time. The rod seems to bottom out at the breech end, so I don't think it is loaded. Regardless, I won't be installing a cap on the nipple and I always handle every gun as if it were loaded i may have to plan a visit to the Log Cabin Shop soon and have them try to determine if it was locally made.

Thanks again.
Barrel breech top: