archieclement
Colonel
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Location
- mo
What is the name on the stock? How might that person have owned the house at a different time, or how might they have interacted with your ancestor?
Assume its not military, but does anyone know anything about the style?
The rifle was probably propped, but I couldn't speculate about the shotgun barrel. It was probably one of those things that was easy to market and seemed like a good idea...but didn't field test all that well. But I don't care about that because it's one HECK of a fine sporting arm! I love it!It's definitely rifle shotgun, the bottom shotgun barrel looks is bout thickness of shot gun barrels today, top rifle barrel is considerably heavier and bore looks more octagon then round, which would have thrown me if I hadn't seen an example of a hand rifled barrel at the Browning gun shop museum. It's really heavy and front heavy overall, would been a man to pack it around all day.
Have wondered what shooting it would have been like, if one has to hold it any length of time free hand, one finds themselves leaning their upper body backwards to counter all that barrel weight out in front of you.
Heavy.......Really? Those fellows of yesteryear were solid muscle and sinew because their daily existence was hard labor. Today, with all of our office jobs, we have become multiple generations of people who don't survive by physical labor. I have even heard younger people complain that data entry is so hard to do! I have a British Trade Rifle from circa 1812 that weighs eleven and a half pounds. Everyone who I show it to today says "How could they even carry this thing?" We have become a bunch of "Keyboard Commandos" who have no clue what life was like 150+ years ago.
J.