Unusual (to me) Bill Large barreled rifle

[F Sappington]

1st post for me. Long time lurker, 1st time posting.
It's a heavy beast, but I don't think it was intended to be a hunting piece.
I have a Bill Large barreled .50 caliber. It seems unusual to me, but I'm no expert.
I inherited it from my father and would like to know if anyone may have a clue as to its origin.
I can answer any questions you may have in a day or two when I get back.
Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

 

[Dismount]

Bill Large was trained in gun work from a relative who was an amourer for the Union during the civil war. I have two guns with Large barrels. both made by him. his later ones were made by his kids and will reflect that by extra letters on top of his name.. believe he was one of the founding members at Friendship.

 

[BS]

I like the round tapered and flared barrel with no full under rib.

 

[necchi]

Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

You have a priceless piece of history in your hands.
You can't search?
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=8007.0That's just the beginning,,

 

[rich pierce]

1st post for me. Long time lurker, 1st time posting.
It's a heavy beast, but I don't think it was intended to be a hunting piece.
I have a Bill Large barreled .50 caliber. It seems unusual to me, but I'm no expert.
I inherited it from my father and would like to know if anyone may have a clue as to its origin.
I can answer any questions you may have in a day or two when I get back.
Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

It’s an English/style percussion rifle somebody made with a Bill Large barrel.

 

[sportster73hp]

I like the guard / spark arrestor between the hammer and nipple drum. Is this common for the style or enhances for visual effect ?

 

[Eric Krewson]

The later barrels were not made by his kids, he made the barrels and added the first letters of his daughters' names as a tribute to them "JJJ".

You should post your gun pictures over at the ALR site, Bob Roller who worked with Mr. Large posts over there often. He is a walking encyclopedia of anything related to Bill Large barrels.

 

[William Sublette]

Tell us more about your good looking plains rifle.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

When I started in muzzle loading in the mid 1970's many match shooters had heavy barreled target guns. just light enough to shoot offhand and just heavy enough to shoot light bench. Those guys shot line matches every weekend and often had upper body strength built up from practice to shoulder the extra few pounds. Often modeled slightly after the Rigby or Greener long range rifles of the 1860's. I built one around 1980 using an H&H barrel, Davis set triggers and a Chambers lock. Mine had both open and Redfield international aperture sights that screwed on and off.

 

[F Sappington]

Tell us more about your good looking plains rifle.

I was told that it was made by Alexander McComas that owned a shop at Calvert Street in 1843, and later on Fayette Street in Baltimore.
It's a .40 caliber, 32" octagonal barrel, but not the original rod, with brass & silver furniture & set triggers.
It was also my father's muzzleloading deer gun of choice for many a moon.

 

[F Sappington]

You have a priceless piece of history in your hands.
You can't search?
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=8007.0That's just the beginning,,

I knew of Mr. Larges barrel making prowess, but not the finished rifle.
I was wondering if the finished rifle looked familiar to anyone's work in particular.

 

[Packrat]

FYI I too have a Bill Large barreled Hawkin style. My understanding is that he passed his equipment to the Green River Rifle Works in Utah.
My barrel is lightly marked on the top s such, will try to add a picture after I've had more coffee, moving s!ow as I finally caught Covid last week

 

[Rawhide67]

I also have a Hawken with a Bill Large barrel, JJJJ stamp. I read somewhere a few years ago, that he tested his barrels and the most accurate got the 4J stamp. Could be rumor.

 

[Dismount]

1st post for me. Long time lurker, 1st time posting.
It's a heavy beast, but I don't think it was intended to be a hunting piece.
I have a Bill Large barreled .50 caliber. It seems unusual to me, but I'm no expert.
I inherited it from my father and would like to know if anyone may have a clue as to its origin.
I can answer any questions you may have in a day or two when I get back.
Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

I have a .37 caliber custom made by Bill Large. Bill decided that should be the caliber for the size of long rifle it was going on. He was eccentric about caliber sizes

 

[FLTaft1948]

1st post for me. Long time lurker, 1st time posting.
It's a heavy beast, but I don't think it was intended to be a hunting piece.
I have a Bill Large barreled .50 caliber. It seems unusual to me, but I'm no expert.
I inherited it from my father and would like to know if anyone may have a clue as to its origin.
I can answer any questions you may have in a day or two when I get back.
Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

Christmas will soon be here, I know what I'd like to find under the tree!
I can't help with your request, but it's a beautiful gun! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rawhide67]

I have a .37 caliber custom made by Bill Large. Bill decided that should be the caliber for the size of long rifle it was going on. He was eccentric about caliber sizes

According to Bob Roller, who worked with Bill Large, barrels were sometimes made in odd calibers. Simply because Bill wanted too, or if someone special ordered it.

 

[Relic shooter]

1st post for me. Long time lurker, 1st time posting.
It's a heavy beast, but I don't think it was intended to be a hunting piece.
I have a Bill Large barreled .50 caliber. It seems unusual to me, but I'm no expert.
I inherited it from my father and would like to know if anyone may have a clue as to its origin.
I can answer any questions you may have in a day or two when I get back.
Thank you in advance for any 411 you may have.

You scored on a very nice English styled sporting rifle !!

 

[springfield art]

All I know is, Large was a master of the old order, from what I've read. What a treasure!

 

[Packrat]

 

[Packrat]