Record 1535/9975 |
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Description
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| Muzzle loading rifle by Silas Allen Jr. Shrewsbury, Mass. ca 1806. This is a classic New England half-stock rifle by the well known and prolific gunsmith Silas Allen Jr. Silas Allen was apprenticed to John Mason Jr., who also has a rifle in this collection. This is one of the finest rifles by this builder I have seen to date. The stock and under rib are of native cherry. The nose cap is of horn. The rammer is of hickory. All metal furniture is of brass with the exception of the wrist escutheon, Cheek star, the weeping heart inlay on the off side of the butt, and the barrel key plates which are of silver. There is also a good amount of tasteful silver wire inlay about the entire stock. The brass furniture consists of the butt plate, trigger guard, rammer guides, patch box, toe plate, lock bolt escuteons, and the rammer tip. The barrel is round with a flat on the lock side and its opposite for 4" which fade into the round. There is also a sighting flat on the top of the barrel from the breech to the front sight which ends at 3 1/2" from the muzzle. The front sight is a very low brass blade 1/2" long which is let into the top of the barrel. the rear sight is 4 15/16" from the breech 13/32" long and has a stnding blade of 5/32" high. This is of brass and dovetailed into the top of the barrel. The barrel has a hooked breech. This is 2 3/8" in length at the top. There are two keys holding the barrel to the stock. The under rib is held to the barrel by five lugs and pins. The rib extends from the muzzle for 30 1/2" towards the breech where it meets the horn nose cap of the stock. There are three upper rammer guides on the rib, each 1 11/16" in length. These have double rings at each end and oct. flats filed between. They are held by two pins each. They are located begining from the muzzle at; 4 5/16", 13 1/2", 22 3/16". The lowest of these has engraving on its bottom facet. The entry guide on the stock has a pipe section of 2" , a collar 5/16", and a pointed tang 1 1/4" long. The pipe is of the same configureation as the upper guides . The whole also displays some engraving as well as being held by two pins. The tapered rammer is 45 3/4" over-all and tapers from 3/8" to 1/4". The brass head is 1/2" dia. and 1/2" long. There is a brass tip on the small end which is 1 3/8" long and has an iron worm which is 1/2" long. The barrel is engraved in script 2 5/8" ahead of the rear sight S. Allen. The lock, which has been converted from its original flint ignition system to percussion, is marked W. KETLAND & Co. between the hammer and the nipple bolster. There is a game bird flying over a rail fence and other decorative engraving at the rear of the lock. The trigger guard is a typical New England adaptation of the then current Pennsylvania style. Its unique New England feature is a small tit projecting from the front finial, which in this case is 1/2" long. This is a feature specific to rifles built in New England at this time and is rarely, if ever, seen on any other. |
Rifle
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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION ~ For access to this image, contact the Museum.