November 20, 2005
Yard Sale Stuff
(click to enlarge)
(click to enlarge)
Found these two old guns at a yardsale Saturday for a monster price of $30.00 bucks a piece. One is a double barrel 20 gauge shotgun and the other appears to be 69 calibre smooth bore percussion cap rifle that has been chopped down to hunt with. My guess it was made sometime between 1830 and 1860. Both are in poor shape but will make cool wall decorations in my cabin when it gets built.....someday.
Any ideas on their origins?
Posted by BillyBudd at November 20, 2005 01:35 PM | TrackBacktop one looks like a model 1816 conversion, as you said, chopped down to "sporterize" it. Send me better pics of the lock and I'll tell you for sure...
Posted by: Circa Bellum at November 21, 2005 07:22 AMI will take some better pics later today.
Thanks
Posted by: Billy Budd at November 21, 2005 07:31 AMI'm pretty sure it's an 1816 conversion. These were originally flint and used that way pretty much up to the Mexican War. They were converted, literally by the millions, right before and during the Civil War and were possibly the most used weapon in the first couple of years of that war. Neat find and a (serious) bargain at that...
Posted by: Circa Bellum at November 21, 2005 08:55 PMThanks, I have a 1844 Mississippi Rifle that is in much better shape. I will post that as my November Playmate of the month. It has a Harpers Ferry Arsenal stamp as well
Posted by: Billy Budd at November 21, 2005 09:00 PMHERE is a resonable facsimile. I think you are correct that it is some version of the 1816 conversion. I will look for a date stamp. I don't think I will find one though. Good deal even in it's rough shape. The guy I got it from thought it was a Revolutionary piece but I told him it was not because of the precussion cap. Hmmmmmmmmm? I will continue to search for a closer match.
Posted by: Billy Budd at November 21, 2005 09:12 PM