M1817 Derringer Common Rifle

[RSMorris]

Won this lock on ebay. Not a lot of information on these. From what I can determine it is a M1817 Common Rifle lock.
Dated 1842, still in flintlock. Moller says thousands were made but most were converted to percussion and the later ones made in
percussion. With thousands made it seems odd there is not more info. This is the first one I have seen of these still in flintlock.

 

[Story]

Maybe because less than 40,000 were made?

After producing the M1814 common rifle through contractors, the military decided to do the same with the M1817 rifle. The Harpers Ferry Arsenal produced a pattern weapon, which was then taken to gunsmiths to be copied.[2]​ The rifle was built by Henry Deringer of Philadelphia (13,000 made), Nathan Starr & Co. of Middleton, Connecticut (10,200 made), Simeon North of Middleton, Connecticut (7,200 made), R. Johnson of Middleton, Connecticut (5,000 made), R. & J. D. Johnson of Middleton, Connecticut (3,000 made).[1]​

Model 1817 common rifle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

​
College Hill usually does a thorough job with their homework.​

The US M1817 Common Rifle offered here is one of the guns produced Henry Deringer. Henry Deringer of Philadelphia, PA is probably one of the most famous gunmakers in American history. His name is so well known that even those who know nothing about firearms still use his name generically when referring to small pistols as "derringers". While Deringer's fame is most wide spread due to his finely crafted single-shot percussion pocket pistols, it was his long-standing relationship with the US Ordnance Department (and those lucrative contracts) that allowed him to grow his gun making business the way he did. Deringer produced thousands of rifles for the Ordnance Department during the early-to-mid 19th century, starting with 2,000 of the US M1814 flintlock rifle, the immediate predecessor to the M1817 rifle. He subsequently produced 12,800 of the US M1817 Common Rifles for the Ordnance Department, which he delivered across four contracts. His first Common Rifle contract was for 1,800 guns and was authorized on July 23, 1819. The contract price was $17.00 per rifle, with the guns to be delivered at the rate of 100 per month until all 1,800 had been delivered.​

US M1817 Common Rifle by Deringer

US M1817 Common Rifle by Deringer

collegehillarsenal.com

​

 

[RSMorris]

Maybe because less than 40,000 were made?

US M1817 Common Rifle by Deringer

US M1817 Common Rifle by Deringer

collegehillarsenal.com

​

Thank you for the info.. I never even knew Derringer made muskets/rifles until I saw this lock...

 

[Story]

Thank you for the info.. I never even knew Derringer made muskets/rifles until I saw this lock...

His dad might have made /rebuilt pistols and carbines for the Continental Dragoons when the shop was up in Easton PA.