What Is It?

[PBSmith]

Here is the piece I reported on in my recent thread, "Most Promising Projectile."

I don't have more than a couple of clues as to its origin. Those clues are:
Old lock
Short 27" barrel
Overall length 42"
Weight: 6-7 lbs.
7-groove barrel, 54 caliber. The bore is so pristine I wonder if it is a replaced one.
Heavy brass trimmings.
No markings on metal or wood
Curly maple stock, stained

Note the brass piece set into the lock beneath the nipple/drum.

Look forward to hearing your ideas of what this little musket has for an origin. A home-build is my best guess.

[Rockingkj]

Dandy rifle! Looking at the lock guessing conversion from flint. It’s a goodie. Should be a shooter for you. Like you could only speculate as to origins.

[LAGS]

IMO
The true origin of the rifle really isn't that important.
The operating or performance is what matters unless you have some kind of history related to it.

[Winger Ed.]

Beautiful rifle.

You might take it to Rick on Pawn Stars.
He knows a guy that will come in and tell you everything about each piece of it.

[Rockingkj]

Could have been the rifle Jim Bridger used but the lock, barrel, hardware and stock have been replaced 2x. Regardless looks like a nice rifle. Tell us how it shoots

[BLAHUT]

Who ever built it, had some skill !!!!

[PBSmith]

The lock looks like it might be an old period one, but I suspect all the other components are reproductions.

What I should have asked is this: does the rifle look like it was patterned after any particular old-time muzzleloader? Trade gun ??, British or American military ??? Plains rifle ???

I'm a native of western Pennsylvania and have owned and looked at quite a few original front-loaders from that part of the world. This rifle does not look like any early rifles I've seen that were built in western PA.

Thought for sure I would find a buttplate and/or rear sight like the ones shown here when I studied two old Dixie Gunworks catalogs. That rear sight looks familiar. Nothing in those old catalogs fits either the massive brass buttplate or the rear sight.

Yes, BLAHUT, the workmanship is excellent.

[indian joe]

Beautiful rifle.

You might take it to Rick on Pawn Stars.
He knows a guy that will come in and tell you everything about each piece of it.

if only his knowledge equaled his imagination!

[pworley1]

What ever it is, it is a great looking rifle.

[freakonaleash]

It's recently restocked from an assortment of parts.

[bedbugbilly]

A nice looking rifle. Not a whole lot to go on unless you have a bit of history or lore on it.

For some reason, the butt stock strikes me as having a bit of German influence to it - reminds me a bit of a high quality German made double flintlock 20 gauge that had been converted to percussion that I owned years ago. With the length of it, I wonder if it is the builder's version of a Jager Rifle?

It's a striking piece and appears well made! Enjoyed the photos!