This Old Wall Hangar

[CWKNOX]

Okay, I need your help. New to this muzzle loading sport and have had this wall hangar that has been passed down thru the family for years. I've had it for +30 years. The story that came with it is. "It was a Hudson Bay Trading rifle that was used to exchange pelts for the rifle, hence the long barrel." Because of the patina of the rifle I assumed it was brass, but now that I've been bitten by the BP bug it piqued by interest in this " wall hangar". I put a magnet on it and its not brass. The bore is .550 at the muzzle, smooth bore. Muzzle thickness is .130 and has a definite crown or recess ( shown in photo). The lock is broken, by my son I think, many years ago. Overall length is 67.5". There is an Eagle clutching arrows(?) on the lock plate. Barrel bands have numbering on them. Brass serpent on opposite site of lock.

 

[64Springer]

Interesting lock for sure.

The stock looks like beech. Definitely military barrel bands. Vent hole seems high. Screw heads look almost new, so I don't think she's too old.

I'm not getting Trade Gun vibes. Though the side plate is Indian Trade Gun style.

Has your family fired it before?

 

[CWKNOX]

here are a couple more photos. yes that is me on Mr. Ed about 8 years ago.

 

[CWKNOX]

Interesting lock for sure.

The stock looks like beech. Definitely military barrel bands. Vent hole seems high. Screw heads look almost new, so I don't think she's too old.

I'm not getting Trade Gun vibes. Though the side plate is Indian Trade Gun style.

Has your family fired it before?

no not to my knowledge

 

[CWKNOX]

here are a couple more photos. yes that is me on Mr. Ed about 8 years ago.

Additionally i forgot to mention the barrel is octagon from the breach out to about 12" the first barrel band then becomes round.

 

[64Springer]

It looks like a back action percussion lock that's been converted to flintlock ****. Then someone fashioned a flintlock lock mechanism and placed it in front to make it all go boom.

Never seen anything like that before.

 

[hanshi]

It looks like a combination of hunting and military parts. The origin escapes me. It does look to be in shootable condition.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

It's likely a "Frankenstein" project that somebody did a long time ago. The lock looks like it came from a Model 1835 or 1840 Springfield. NOT the original barrel if it is that lock. By the time the 1842 and 1861 Springfield muskets came out, these would have been obsolete. Some were converted to caplocks.

As others have said, it looks to be in shootable condition. That said, I never recommend for someone to fire a century plus old black powder firearm. Short of Magnafluxing the barrel, there is no way to find some cracks in iron and the rust has had a century to work on the metal. I think that gun is more of a conversation piece than an actual shootin' iron these days.

Right now it has value, once you blow it up, it is just a pile of scrap iron and kindling wood.

 

[necchi]

I'm with hansi and Dale on this one, it's a mix of random parts someone assembled, it's not an original of anything but itself
30+ years of handing down in the family is interesting though, it's a keeper, too bad ya can't find out "who" made it.

 

[satwel]

They were made in Belgium for the African market-hunter trade. During the late 60's up to the mid 70's some made their way to the USA for the Bicentennial. They're a combination of old musket parts and new, cheaply-made components. There was an antique store in the town were I went to high school that had a couple of them. If my memory serves, they were priced at $69.00. I think DGW had them in their catalog about that same time.