Frontier Firearms from the Lifetime Collection of Larry Ness

.45 caliber. 29.75" heavy octagonal wedge retained barrel with under rib. SN: NSN. Browned finish, brass lock and furniture, maple half-stock. Brass single screw percussion lock lightly engraved at tail and marked "GOLCHER & BUTLER/PHILADA" in two lines under the bolster. Barrel with intertwined decorative line and star decorations but no markings. Double set triggers, brass triggerguard with spur and finger extension, brass crescent buttplate with plain toe plate, oval commercial brass patchbox with simple decorative line engraving. Two sheet brass ramrod thimbles secured to barrel rib and brass entry pipe, no forend cap. Lovely maple stock with faux applied tiger striped finish. The consignor's notes attribute this rifle to Tryon and note that Tryon used brass locks on some of their higher grade guns, notes further identify this as a "Chief's Grade Rifle" but no similar example can be found in Great Gunmakers of the Early West by Jim Gordon or other leading references. It is often noted that Golcher (Goulcher) marked locks were utilized by numerous makers and that their presence is no indication that any Golcher/Goulcher was involved in the production of the gun. The only known mention of a Golcher & Butler marking is that of the supposed Kit Carson "Hawken" rifle that was first referenced in Hanson, with this same reference being repeated in both Sellers and Gordon. Garvaglia & Worman picture that famous rifle (in the collection of the Colorado State Historical Society) on page 226 of the first volume of Firearms of the American West and it is a classic half-stock percussion rifle described as having an unmarked barrel and a brass lock marked in the same way as the lock in this rifle. The form of this gun is that of a pure Plains Rifle that is very well made, likely by one of the Pennsylvania makers for use out west in the 1840s. It is a particularly attractive gun and is just the right size to be both handy and effective for most game in the west, with the possible exception of buffalo and grizzly bears.