| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 16/10/13 12:41 PM |
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Muzzle Loaders at Auction
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The upcoming Cowan's auction has some interesting rifles.
This one is particularly nice IMO.
Looks as though it is a percussion muzzle loader with an internal hammer which is cocked by lowering the "block".
I am not at all familiar with this patent but, man, is it cool!
They say American Primer Ignition (perhaps referring to the patent) but the styling, especially the grip, looks very Scottish to me. Nor do I know why they invoke Nimschke as the engraver
http://www.cowansauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=129212
Also Gibbs and Rigby percussion match rifles in this auction and, sadly, a Rigby 350 double rifle which has been sleeved to 22Hornet...
| Claydog |
| (.375 member) |
| 16/10/13 02:05 PM |
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Re: Muzzle Loaders at Auction
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I see there is also a .416 Rigby bolt gun as well. Looks to be one of the later ones?
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 17/10/13 02:08 AM |
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Re: Muzzle Loaders at Auction
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The Gibbs is especially nice - too. That is an interesting "action" on the internal percussion.
Perhaps it is set up for the Maynard tape primer system - Similar to the later 1859 percussion Sharps and percussion US military rifles. I haven't seen any civilian guns with that system - which is not to say they didn't exist.
| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 17/10/13 03:36 AM |
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Re: Muzzle Loaders at Auction
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Quote:
Perhaps it is set up for the Maynard tape primer system - Similar to the later 1859 percussion Sharps and percussion US military rifles. I haven't seen any civilian guns with that system - which is not to say they didn't exist.
Certainly looks plausable.
Not sure if the tape would be fed from the top or the bottom. Looks like a pretty intimate fit between the block and the breech where the flash hole is.
Was there some sort of tubular cap back then which could have been placed down the flash hole? Something like a skinny rimfire blank comes to mind.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 18/10/13 02:10 AM |
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Re: Muzzle Loaders at Auction
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Pill locks pre-dated percussion caps as we know them, then came along "tube locks" where the priming compound was inside a thin copper tube - the tube laid in a tray like a flinter's pan, with one end facing the vent. This was a European invention. There were very long sided caps as well, for very long nipples (nipples were called tubes in the early 1800's). A very long cap might have been used in a rifle such as this one, for ease of 'capping'. I do not know how you'd get the cap fragments out, though. Perhaps that is why guns such as this are rate and in good shape?