W. Collins p Portland OR gunmaker

[TFoley]

In progress right now is the sale and transfer to me here in yUK of a Hawken-style plains rifle made by W.Collins on Portland OR sometime around 1850 or so - to me. The condition is not too good, but I don't care too much about that.

Why, you might ask?

Well, W. Collins was my grandfather's name - obviously not the same person, and Collins is the name of the vendor's wife ere they got wed, and Portland Oregon, where W.Collins had his shop, is the place we love to be.

Seems it will need a new nipple and a couple of ramrod pipes - not that difficult, IMO, with Jim and Suzy at the best BP-era gun store in the PNW just down the road from where we stay south of Eugene, over the I5 in nearby Springfield.

I'm really looking forward to this more than I can say. The gun itself can be seen over on the C&R section of www.northwestfirearms.com

Because of the law here in UK, I can own it without any problems, without any kind of permit, but I can't shoot it.

Unless, of course, I sell something else first.

That's the way it is.

I'll send pics to my dear old pal Bill in Oregon so he can show them here, if anybody is interested. After I get it, of course.

tac

 

[TFoley]

Quote - 'Joe at the Gun Works in Springfield - He says according to his books,it's probably/possibly made by a William Collins who worked in Portland 1852,Olympia,WA 1853,and Crescent City,Ca all through the 1860s. Or,2 other W.Collins ,in W.Virginia or Colorado. I think it's really cool there is a long shot chance it was made in Oregon!!'

tac

 

[TFoley]

Apologies for the bad URL - seems that you have to be registered on northwestfirearms to read stuff there.

Trust me, it's a lovely-looking piece with really strong rifling and a stepped round muzzle on the heavy octagon barrel. It's around a .50cal by the look of it. Ah, just had another look - it needs a ramrod, and a hammer retaining screw, too.

tac

 

[TFoley]

Seller backed out due to pressure of work.

V.sad.

tac