Rood Targe Rifle ?

[dave61965]

Buddy of mine is helping with a family estate and he showed me this rifle, looks pretty rough im sure its just a wall hanger but I told him I would get him some info if I could, the barrel is marked Rood, cant make out the other letters, really heavy barrel around .40 cal or so, had a false muzzle at one time, hooked breech, lock has writing on it we cant make out, double set triggers and a rabbit on the patch box, any info is welcome, prob not worth much, kinda interesting though.

 

[okawbow]

looks like lock says "Partridge"?

 

[Captjoel]

I really like the use of a saw blade for a washer under the hammer screw. Shows some cool imaginative fixing! As for that tiny name stamped on the barrel......never seen anything quite like it. The closest name that rings any bells for me would be the name ROOP, but this is a later rifle than ole Jacob Roop would have built.

 

[dave61965]

I thought the hacksaw blade washer was a nice touch also! Blew it up on the computer and it looks like ROOD with something in front of it I can't make out.

 

[Many Klatch]

Looks like an Ohio Valley style half-stock made with a salvaged lock. It should be shootable, the barrel ought to be thick enough. Clean the barrel up and take a look, it might be OK. I don't know about not worth much. Most original muzzleloading guns that can be shot are worth at least $800. The barrel could be relined and made into a tack driver without much work if the lock and triggers are OK.

 

[Billnpatti]

I can't tell you anything about it but I think it might be able to be returned to life. It looks like it will need a good bit of work to get it shooting again. It needs a rear sight and the barrel most likely will need to be re-bored. The lock can most likely be restored without too much work. Even so, it will need to be taken apart and cleaned up and any missing or broken parts will need to be replaced. Working the lock over will cost around $100. Reboring the barrel will run around $85 to $100. Maybe a bit more. I can't get a good enough look at the stock to see what, if any, repairs need to be made but it looks to be in reasonable condition. The bolster and nipple are in sad condition but could easily be replaced. Over all, I'd say that for something in the area of $300 to $500, it could probably be back in shooting condition.

 

[robinghewitt]

Looks like an Ohio Valley style

I don't know America at all. Morgan L Rood is listed in Marshall, Mich and Denver, Col. Either of them near Ohio?

 

[dave61965]

We did drop a light down the bore and I have to say it was very clean, sharp grooves, not rusty like I figured.

 

[Many Klatch]

Squire, Marshall Michigan is just North of states of Indiana and Ohio. The Ohio Valley takes in a lot area. Colorado is about 1,100 miles west of Marshall MI.

 

[robinghewitt]

Rood is in Marshall 1840-56 and in Denver 1873-81.

 

[Billnpatti]

That will save you about $85 to $100 on a restoration. If it were mine, I'd sure want to put it back into shooting condition.

 

[Dphar]

It is possible it was recut in the early 20th c. and was used as a shooter. But its got some issues, looks like the drum has been over rotated, this would need to be repaired. If the barrel is turned round at the muzzle it was likely originally a Picket Bullet rifle and would have used a guide starter. This would usually have a gain twist ending in the 30-36" range. If the bore is good and looks "modern" and has a uniform twist is 56" it may be a recut by Bill Large. Given the time period if its round at the muzzle and much over 36-40 cal coupled with bore condition its likely its been recut.
This does NOT mean its safe to shoot. For this it requires examination by a qualified Gunsmith, debreeching etc. and a proof test.
Many of these rifles were restocked as well but this is mostly supposition from this distance.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

Is the front sight modern? IE not pitted as is the barrel? Does it appear to have ever had a tang sight installed?

Dan

 

[dave61965]

Dan, thanks for the info, since my last post on the rifle I have become the new owner of it after some horse trading I figure I have a total of a hundred bucks in it, I figure its worth that as a wall hanger if nothing else but I can see the potential to get it shooting again, I took a few more pics also, the tang screws were stripped letting the barrel lift in the stock making it look like the drum was turned wrong, I pulled the drum and the breech plug and both as well as the bore had a coating of a gooey dark grease which protected the threads and bore very well, I measure about .40 cal best I can with a caliper and about 1:32 twist 32" barrel is round at the muzzle and holes pinned where I assume a false muzzle once was, also looks like the barrel is coned now, under the barrel on the breech end its marked REMINGTON CAST STEEL looks like, on top its pitted but I can read M.L.ROOD and a date of 18?6 could be 56 or 66 I think 56 myself from the shape of the number, three dovetails on the barrel and it may have had a mount of some kind at the end of the tang on top of the wrist.