Percussion Trade Rifle by H.S. Groff

.44 caliber. 41" wedge-retained octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Browned finish, brass furniture, full-length hardwood stock with raised cheek rest and checkered wrist. Single screw commercial percussion lock marked "COOPER/WARRANTED". Barrel marked in two partially legible lines with the upper one reading "???MOUNT" and the lower line reading "?? GROFF". Rifle with drum bolster of modern production, and the accompanying noted document that the rifling has been recut for shooting. Rifle mounted with nicely engraved four piece brass patchbox with the release in the lightly engraved toe plate. Traditional commercial brass furniture include a crescent butt with faceted tang, an extended finger spur triggerguard, and a lightly engraved flat geometric single screw side plate. Other brass fittings include the nose cap, two plain thimbles and an entry pipe. Dovetailed fixed rear sight and dovetailed brass blade front sight. Checkered wrist with impressed asterisk style decorations that are also stamped on the barrel. Raised cheek rest with lightly engraved German silver escutcheon, with a smaller similarly engraved thumb piece at the wrist as well. Mr. Ness' notes on this gun are somewhat contradictory, as the gun is identified as the work of H.S. Groff of Lancaster but he refers to a Groff contract for Indian Department guns that was probably really with John Groff of Lancaster. Sellers listed H.S. Groff as an unidentified and unlocated maker of Kentucky style rifles, while John Groff worked in Lancaster, PA at the end of the 18th and during the early 19th century. This rifle appears to have been produced as a percussion rifle and the styling dates the gun no earlier than the late 1820s and possibly as late as the 1840s-1850s, suggesting it is not the work of John Groff. Other research indicates that H.S. Groff worked in Fairmount, PA, which is likely the address on the barrel, confirming the H.S. Groff identification. Mr. Ness categorizes the gun as a "Chief's Grade" trade rifle, but in the opinion of this cataloger the gun represents a very nice mid-19th century sporting rifle that has been worked on to make it a legitimate shooter today.

The Collection of Larry Ness