The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hello
I have just purchased a percussion rifle from an auction house, knowing absolutely nothing about percussion rifles

Black powder is something that I would like to understand more, but family commitments may mean active participation is in the future

This rifle is for novelty value nothing more, but I am fascinated just holding it and wondering about it's history

I cannot see any engraving anywhere so I am thinking this may be a very basic model, mass produced, which may indicate that it was used in conflict

Also, looking online I cannot see any pictures of a hammer being retained by a nut, all have a screw, so is this the result of a repair, which again does that suggest heavy use in the past?

Apologies for the mixed units, but it is the only equipment I have, the muzzle is 19mm in diameter and the barrel from the opening to the nipple is 22.5 inches
There is a heavy stamping on the barrel of 1853 and a smaller stamping of 2192 on the barrel and the stock
I can't see any riffling in the bore, so I was wondering if it would have been only light to begin with, or could this be a shotgun?

Thank you
Tony

Looks like a bitzer, the lock doesn't seem to fit the stock, in fact from the photograph it looks expoxied in.

Snail is rotten, replacement lock and probably different hammer, could be based on a P53 rifled musket but hard to tell if it was ever rifled from the state of the bore.

P53 had progressive rifling but still quiet prominent at the muzzle.

Cleaning it up would be a nice learning exercise and it could be made into a wall hanger depending 'pon taste.

How ever under no circumstances would I consider firing such a thing.

Hope you only paid a few bob for it.

Either that or it is an as new example of the mythological Asperley Aimless muzzle loader.

Thank you for your reply dromia, rest assured I have no intention of firing it, it is purely a conversation piece

You mentioned cleaning it up as an exercise, would that be just a light cleaning keeping the patina or would you suggest exposing the original timber and recoating it with something and what would you suggest for the barrel?

Tony

I am no fan myself of trying undo that which has taken decades and centuries of wear and use to achieve, but 'tis your gun and you can do with it what you will.

Trying to make an old gun look new is a total oxymoron to me.

I would just give it a good clean and strip first of all and the see what it "said" to me.

Thank you, I will do as you say

I thinks that's definitely a bitza - Lock certainly not made with the stock - the whole thing looks "Eastern" However if you're interested in the history of arms or how these old guns were made, then this is a good place to start, you can't do any harm and it might spark further interest. Although that is a very crude example, similar muskets/rifles were in common use from around 1810 -1850.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4UUVMS-pzQ