can someone help identify this gun?

[red reaper]

Found this old gun at a flea market yesterday. It's rough, but has some odd features that caught my eye. I'm sure it'll be worthless, but thought I'd ask some experts. I don't see any makers marks on the outside. It's smooth bore, bore measures 5/8" with a tape measure. Under the forstock, you can see what looks like a sight groove for a rear sight further up the barrell if you turned the barrell over? I'm sure it's a repro of some kind, but would be neat if it was a southern civil war gun.

 

[XxWINxX94]

To me, it does not look like a repro/replica because the condition is bad, but its the kind of bad you only see on old guns from years of wear and tear. The wiring on the stock was also a common way for a temporary fix on something like that, I don't think Bubba would fix his Uberti like that. You can also find a brass band on very old muskets. As far as what make/model, I have no idea, it could be anything. It looks like a carbine length, so its possible that it was cut down before the civil war(?) Like I said I'm not sure.

 

[red reaper]

Thanks for the reply, the end of the barrell has the groove for a front sight, so that probably eliminates it being cut off. I really enjoy the history these things possess. Surely there is a mfg mark under the stock somewhere that could give a date. I would think all gun mfg's wanted their mark on them in plain sight for advertising.

 

[Ron James]

It looks to be a authentic antique ( what would it be a reproduction of ) and not a modern manufacturer, if it were, it would have maker markings and the warning " black powder only " . It looks to be a back action lock and originally made for percussion which would date it approx 1830's to late 1800's. I believe it is a cut down military musket., that the markings may have been removed by age and rust. After the war of insurrection hundreds of thousands of these type muskets were cut down to make them more user friendly, plus hundreds of thousands more were imported. This information may or may not be valid, perhaps one of the better versed contributors will chime in. Value would be minimal and probably Worth no more than you paid for it.

 

[rondog]

I believe that's a Harvey Wallhanger.....

 

[Jim Watson]

Looks like a cheap lock, back action with the tumbler axle riveted out into the hammer.
Hammer throw is not quite right for the drum and nipple placement. Odd looking trigger and trigger location in the guard.

Smoothbore but a rear sight still in place, says to me "Old rifle barrel reamed out for shot." I can't tell if the barrel is octagonal or round with flat sides, which would spell the difference between civilian and military, though.

Looks like a nearly new nipple in a rusty old gun. It may have seen use a lot later than we might think.

I'm guessing GUESSING mind you that it is a late period gun kind of pieced together out of parts available for very low cost shooting way back in the country.

 

[red reaper]

Jim, it's 8 sided. Does that indicate something? hammer is riveted, and has two positions besides resting on the cup. half way and all the way back.

 

[Jim K]

It looks like an old gun, repeatedly repaired, using what parts and materials were available. I don't think it was ever a military musket. The nipple was more than likely put on recently to make the old gun more saleable. I love Rondog's expression, "Harvey Wallhanger" and that one fits.

Hang it on the wall and tell folks how your ancestors used it to fight off 1) injuns, 2)rebels, 3) yankees, or 4) all three at the same time.

 

[Jim Watson]

Octagonal barrel indicates civilian piece.
As Jim K says, old gun pieced together and patched up.

 

[red reaper]

I checked the bore with a mic today, and the end of the barrell is 5/8" but down in the bore it's .565-.568 would this change things?

 

[Jim Watson]

No.
It was probably worn to a flared muzzle by a gritty wooden ramrod.
There might be some rifling left down in there a ways.