Can anybody I’d this gun!?

[Older The Better]

Piece 1: end cap for a Kentucky/Pennsylvania long rifle style gun




Part 2: I’m thinking this is a Little plate found on the sides of some rifles, notice the inner diamond of raised dots



Part 3: not really sold on what it is but I have seen similar pieces inset behind the firing mechanism I believe called a thumb plate



Part 4: flintlock lock plate



Part 5: ramrod thimble with similar geometric design as the end cap



Part 6: another ramrod thimble again same geometric designs



Part 7,8,9: triggers indicating atleast 2 guns the skinny one is questionable as a trigger but some guns had a second more narrow trigger very similar in shape




Part 10: a trigger guard found in the same general area but away from all other pieces on an adjacent hill side very possibly not related to other parts


Part 11: flintlock tumbler very rough shape


So from what I’ve gathered so far, it’s a flintlock from the 1830’s ish based on other items. It was a long rifle, it was likely a trade gun owned by Native Americans based on the time frame, it was indian country in 1830 and other items support this. I’ve seen mention of “chiefs” guns which were more elaborate than the usual trade gun..... best guess based on all the above and the design on the “thumb piece” it could be a Lehman rifle.

I’d like to get a gun kit and build a replica to display near the gun parts but before I drop the cash I’d like to feel really good about my id.

Any input would be greatly appreciated but I understand there’s just not a lot to go on... including the possibility multiple guns are represented

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Retired Sarge]

I'll look in the AM, well the normal AM, not at 0255, not seeing straight enough to ID. Unless someone IDs before then. Regardless it's pretty dang cool.

 

[l.cutler]

The trigger guard is definitely from a totally different gun. I wish I could be more definite, but Pennsylvania long rifle may be about as definite as you can get. It would be easier to at least nail down a time frame if you found a trigger guard or butt plate, these changed more with time. My gut feeling is that it is a little earlier than the 1830's, maybe 1790 - 1800.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Great post and interesting finds Older the Better.
I like your idea to... "build a replica to display near the gun parts".

Hope you get the answers you're looking for,
Dave

 

[TimberCrack]

I agree with upper posts...you have parts from from different guns...the trigger guard is off a trade gun...the brass part from a long rifle....and definitely has indian scribble on it. Cool finds!! Native Americans didn't take very good care of White Man weapons..plus they used them for various other things also..like beating the crap out of an enemy when they run ran out of powder and ball..

 

[glass half fool]

I have no idea about what any of the parts belong to But it is really something to have found so many parts near to each other to even have enough evidence to begin to try to figure it out .Good luck as you continue to search for the ID of the parts already found

 

[Older The Better]

Thanks for the replies so far

here’s some more pics from a couple books I got.
Here are some leman rifles with that same sort of stitching
Trigger looks right, it has a little octagon piece on the stock. Leman also fits the timeframe 1830’s to 1840’s






Another maker that used that stitching to a lesser extent and the right time frame




I’m not sure what you call these but I think my diamond served the same function

 

[Older The Better]

I have scoured that spot looking for more gun parts but the barrel eludes me as well as many others, still every so often I find something I missed... kinda makes me want to give it another try this weekend.

I’ve also found screws that could have held the gun/guns together and brass tacks that they used to decorate with


Any chance you could figure out the caliber based off the size of the octagon opening on the cap and a known thickness of a barrel?

 

[glass half fool]

I bet Dixon's Gun Shop located in Kempton PA would be able to help you with some ID's of those parts .They build some of the nicest muzzleloaders you could ever see .And they know muzzleloaders from start to finish

 

[Older The Better]

I’ll have to reach out, I tried the writer of the books above and another gun publisher but neither were too sure what I have

 

[glass half fool]

If any of the parts you showed are KY /PA gun parts they may be of help Good luck and keep looking there are more parts there some where

 

[Older The Better]

UPDATE:
My grandpa sent me this small nugget that helps a lot.




I had no idea leman and tyron had paired up, that means in a way my two options above were the same, unless you want to split hairs. Also good signs that they also produced northwest guns (my trigger guard) and produced guns for native Americans.

May be all I can ask for an id since I spent another 4 hours with my giant coil and expanded my search area and came up with a .22 casing, two bits of wire, and a shot shell base that I thought was a coin or another flat button at first.

 

[glass half fool]

That newspaper clipping makes it all the more likely that Dixon's may be able to identify some of the parts you have found .They are located in Berks county PA I think .That is near to Lancaster County PA

 

[Goldiver]

Did you find these parts in a plowed field or formerly plowed field? If the barrel was turned up by the plow the farmer would have either kept it as a curiosity or disposed of it rather than leave it laying there to damage farm equipment. If you live in a rocky area the fields were often picked clean yearly of any rocks that turned up with the plow and these would be piled nearby in an out of the way spot. This would be a good place to search for larger iron , likely it would have been picked up with the rocks and disposed of here. Another place to look is edges of the field where things could be thrown and be out of the way of future farming like a ditch, stone wall or wooded area. Just a few ideas, hope it helps in some way.

Steve

 

[Older The Better]

Not in a field, they had made a camp up on top of a bluff next to a small creek cutting down to the flood plain. I’ve actually found many round balls on the opposite hill. I assume hunting but who knows could have been an attack. Yesterday I worked the bottom of the bluff, maybe they tossed something off, then went up the creek to see if anything washed in, then just worked beyond the edges of where I find things to see if the site was bigger, no luck but I’ll keep looking. every so often I find a spot I missed before. I suspect the barrel was reused or repurposed.