Unknown muzlleloading copy

[Egil]

It is Italian copy of... something. I don't really know what it is. Could somebody help me? Please!!!
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/463/berdanka1p6ub.jpg
http://img298.imageshack.us/img298/7262/berd11ls.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/466/berd35zr.jpg
Thanks in advance.

 

[thomas]

Egil,
I believe its called a box lock rifle & was made by afew different makers. Wesson I think was one name that made them, not 100% sure tho'.

Thomas

 

[Bill Bryan]

I've got one just like this that I bought from Dixie Gun Works in the early 70's. I think it was called a copy of a Wesson style Buggy Gun. It's still a nice shooting off-hand target rifle.

 

[Mulebrain]

I like your avatar! A great american hero~!

 

[Zonie]

As others have said, it's a recreation of a Wesson rifle.

Although it's talking about the target model, the 1987 Dixie Catalog says:
"...rifles that were produced by Edwin Wesson, of Northboro, Massachusetts, and later Hartford, Connecticut, from atound 1835 until his death in 1850. The lock work for this rifle is enhoused in a steel frame or reciever...

The catalog does not say who made these guns.

 

[Egil]

Do you know its rate of twist?

 

[rabjr]

Egil

My Rhode Island Arms Makers and Gunsmiths 1643 - 1883 book shows this rifle on page 62.

Signed "G.P.Foster - Bristol, R.I." on both the barrel and breach. The lock mechanism and iron forestock are features found on most Foster rifles from both Taunton, Massachusetts and Bristol, Rhode Island.
It is the opinion of the author that the rifle shownand all other Foster - Bristol rifles, were made under George Pratt Foster's auspices at the Bristol Firearm Company by the same workmen who made the first model Burnside Breechloaders.

 

[Zonie]

The ad in Dixie was talking about a target rifle so it may be totally different than your gun.

Their gun was halfstock with a .50 caliber with a 1;48 twist. The barrel was a 1 1/8 octagon X 28 inches long.
It had a false muzzle included with the gun.

This target gun was selling for $395 in 1987, a time that the Thompson Center Hawken precussion was selling for $264.

 

[Egil]

This copy is .45 caliber, 42 inches in lenght, with 26 inch octagon barrel. I think Swamp Rat is probably right(great book!). It can be one of Foster rifles. It looks very similar, even pattern on the lock is almost identical.
Thanks for all your answers.

 

[Egil]

Mule Brain, it isn't avatar, it's me.

 

[guncobbler]

Egil - Please tell us about gun owning and shooting in Poland. Or correct me and say that you live in a town named Poland in the US GC

 

[Egil]

Of course, I live in Poland, Europe. I wonder, if there are any places called Poland in the USA?
Since 01.01.2004 we can posses and use (only on shooting range) any firearms (and their replicas) produced before 1850 (some called us forty-niners ). For the rest of weapon we have to have permission from a chief of the local police, which is very difficult to obtain. The number of muzzleloading shooters is estimated at only 1000-2000. It is mainly because of high prices of guns. Even the cheapest rifle or revolver costs about $300-350. pistol-$150-200. They are respectable sums for average Pole (I write about replicas, originals are much more expensive). Moreover our policemen mentally still lived in communism and try to threaten shop-owners who sell black powder. Of course it is illegal, but some are really frightened and resign from selling it. All in all, situation is rather bad, however better than some years ago when all guns were banned. The most irritating thing for me is that we can't hunt with our weapon.
I have two replicas: Hawken Woodsman (Ardesa, Spain), which is not very similar to original Hawken , but is quite good shot, and Colt Dragoon (Uberti) which is very detailed copy. I bought it second-hand for $430 ::
Now I think of flintlock rifle. You know I'm fascinated by Indian-French War epoque.
By the way, I've heard that Americans load their revolvers with full cylinder of powder :shocking:. I've never dared load more than 30 grains to my Dragoon. I'd like to load more. Do you think it would be save?
Greetings for all muzzleloading brotherhood. :front:
Sorry for my English, but I haven't had enough practice recently.
Egil

 

[Rebel]

You can fill the cylinder on your Uberti Dragoon all the way to where you jsut have room for the ball to seat and it will be safe. It may not be as accurate, but it is safe. I have done it with a number of both Colt and Remington replicas, and it never harmed any of them. Just as long as it is Black Powder you use. :front:

 

[Zonie]

Egil: Thank you for the information about Poland.
It's interesting that we have three members from a country who only 15 or 20 years ago wouldn't allow their people to own any firearm. Progress sometimes takes a while, but your making headway.
The other Polish members I know of are Bartek and Sebastian.

As for shooting your Dragoon with a full load, you can safely try it but with powder being so hard to get I don't know if the extra Boom would be worth it to me.

Do not worry about your English. You are doing fine! Much better than me when Ah slip inter ma ole Zonie tak.

 

[lanedh]

I had one of the Foster rifles with this style of breech. Mine was probably what you'd term a 'buggy rifle' because it was relatively short, with a tapered octagonal barrel. The halfstock forearm was made of sheet iron soldered to the barrel between underrib and the standing breech which housed the lock works. It was made for takedown when traveling; the barrel was threaded female and the male breech powder chamber screwed into it. It was almost certainly made in the Bristol plant, but stamped 'C. D. Schubart, Providence, RI' on the barrel (two-line one piece die). Caspar Schubarth was listed as a Providence gunsmith, so he either put his name on an unbranded Foster and sold it as a knock-off, or worked for Foster and had a gunsmithing business on the side. The rifle had a nice burl walnut butt and DSTs.

 

[amccall]

Egil, as others have said you can fill the cylnders with powder but you think a dragoon would be something to shoot just think what a walker 44 cal. could do. Also we do have many places in the USA named Poland, in fact there is a Poland, OH. It is S.E of Cleveland, OH. eace: