Unknown trigger guard

[dcooper1]

I also found this in the same area where I found the unknow stirrup. I havn't been able to match it with any in my books.

Any ideas??

Thanks

 

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[lonesomebob]

Kentucky rifle either flint or percussion Bob

 

[BuckleBoy]

Kentucky rifle either flint or percussion Bob

100% Correct.




Nice ID, Bob

 

[hogge]

Nice find.

 

[dcooper1]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Montana Jim]

How do you know it's "Kentuky" rifle and not some other random rifle/muzzleloader?

 

[mojjax]

I was thinking maybe it's from a "Brown Bess" musket

 

[relichunters]

I thought a door handle

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

How do you know it's "Kentuky" rifle and not some other random rifle/muzzleloader?

maybe its broken. http://www.airbum.com/NeatShtpix/HainesPart1.html

 

[BuckleBoy]

How do you know it's "Kentuky" rifle and not some other random rifle/muzzleloader?

maybe its broken. http://www.airbum.com/NeatShtpix/HainesPart1.html

Looks broken at the screw hole on the left side of the first photo.

 

[romeo-1]

To me that looks more like a Rev. War era trigger guard...Check out The Illustrated Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. Lots of good detailed pics of muskets from varied perspectives.

 

[dcooper1]

How do you know it's "Kentuky" rifle and not some other random rifle/muzzleloader?

maybe its broken. http://www.airbum.com/NeatShtpix/HainesPart1.html

Looks broken at the screw hole on the left side of the first photo.

Thanks again for everyones replies/info.
It IS broken off on the one end, right at a screw hole.

 

[Monty]

I have seen several parts of old guns found here on tnet and I often wonder what happened to the rest of the gun? Seems odd that someone would just discard a trigger guard, but perhaps they just replaced it? My first gun was an old Savage single shot .410 and I broke the trigger guard off at the screw hole like many I have seen. I used it without one for years until I found one by accident at a gun show. Well, anyway part of an old muzzle loader is a great find. There were so many variations that during that period there was no two rifles exactly alike as for civilian use they were often hand made. It's almost impossible to pin one down exactly other than just the type of rifle or musket it came off of. Military arms were usually mass produced and a little easier to identify. For the person asking how do you know it's from a kentucky rifle, it is a process of eliminaltion. It's easier to figure out what it isn't first and that narrows it down quite a bit. Monty

 

[BuckleBoy]

I have seen several parts of old guns found here on tnet and I often wonder what happened to the rest of the gun? Seems odd that someone would just discard a trigger guard, but perhaps they just replaced it?  My first gun was an old Savage single shot .410 and I broke the trigger guard off at the screw hole like many I have seen.  I used it without one for years until I found one by accident at a gun show.  Well, anyway part of an old muzzle loader is a great find.  There were so many variations that during that period there was no two rifles exactly alike as for civilian use they were often hand made.  It's almost impossible to pin one down exactly other than just the type of rifle or musket it came off of.  Military arms were usually mass produced and a little easier to identify.  For the person asking how do you know it's from a kentucky rifle, it is a process of eliminaltion.  It's easier to figure out what it isn't first and that narrows it down quite a bit.  Monty

Agreed.  It is my understanding that folks would simply discard and replace broken pieces like trigger guards, etc.  I don't really know what would possess someone to discard a butt plate--but who knows.  I guess anything is possible.

I was looking at the ornate style of the guard posted above, and the non-standardized look to it, plus the broken piece that could've been a double-back in the guard, and thought KY rifle...


Best Wishes,



Buckles

 

[l.cutler]

It actually most resembles a French fusil,or trade gun, or possibly an iron mounted fowler. Some type of musket is another possibilty. Most long rifles had fairly ornate brass trigerguards, not iron. The Tennessee and Southern mountain rifles were usually iron mounted, but were shaped nothing like this. Here is one something like it, but there were many varieties. www.therifleshoppe.com/(794).htm

 

[lonesomebob]

Kentucky rifle is a generic term,most were made in Pa and NY, They were mostlu hand made and as ornate as the builder wanted it ti be. Later on pieces and parts became available from England Germany and France, Toward the end of the era most locks and brass or iron castings were purchased and the complete piece was assembled by the builder and sold as a custom piece to those that could afford them. Generally I am speaking of ,flintlocks of the golden age. later percusion rigles fowlers and Trade rifles were produced using basically the same design parts and castings. Some were still made by hand and are still bu gunsmiths and artisas. Bob

 

[GL]

Wide guard like that says flintlock to me.

 

[mojjax]

Here's one on a Brown Bess I have , for comparison .

 

[Square Nail]

I have seen several parts of old guns found here on tnet and I often wonder what happened to the rest of the gun? Seems odd that someone would just discard a trigger guard, but perhaps they just replaced it? My first gun was an old Savage single shot .410 and I broke the trigger guard off at the screw hole like many I have seen. I used it without one for years until I found one by accident at a gun show. Well, anyway part of an old muzzle loader is a great find. There were so many variations that during that period there was no two rifles exactly alike as for civilian use they were often hand made. It's almost impossible to pin one down exactly other than just the type of rifle or musket it came off of. Military arms were usually mass produced and a little easier to identify. For the person asking how do you know it's from a kentucky rifle, it is a process of eliminaltion. It's easier to figure out what it isn't first and that narrows it down quite a bit. Monty

It's off of a muzzleloading firearm. That means one shot, then reload from the muzzle. Sometimes if the person firing the gun, ie: rifle, musket, fowler (shotgun) is in close combat with either another human or more, or possibly even a bear, something where the second shot is needed but events are not going to let the gun be loaded, then there were times when the firearm became a very expensive club. At that point the odds of the stock breaking at the wrist became excellent, which could well cause the trigger guard to become seperated from the rest of the gun, which would also account for a butt plate being found without any other part of the firearm. That part of the stock goes flying, the wood decays away, only the butt plate is left. It's a very interesting find. I doubt that it's military because there isn't a sling swivel. Other than that, you don't have enough of the gun to really know more than you do now. However, the odds really favor a flintlock rifle built in the 1700's.

 

[dcooper1]

Thanks again to everyone for the replies. As stated earlier, I found this in an area that has a LOT of history. I do remember the area where I found it so I may have to go back and cover it some more to see if there are any other parts.