Arms, Armor and Militaria

.49 caliber (40 balls to the pound). 42" pinned octagonal barrel. NSN. Browned barrel, brass furniture, maple full stock. Single shot flintlock muzzleloading rifle. #35 of 200 special commemorative rifles intended to replicate the rifles carried by Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. The original rifles, obtained through Harpers Ferry were quite similar to the Pennsylvania built Model 1797 Contract Rifles and likely came from the same makers. The reproduction lock copies a Harpers Ferry Model 1803 Rifle lock and is Harpers Ferry marked and dated 1803. The barrel is signed C Edwards, for the maker Chuck Edwards, and a certificate of ownership and various documents relating to the set accompany it. The rifle has a two-piece brass patchbox with the release on the top of the buttplate, a fixed notch rear sight, a dovetailed Rocky Mountain blade front sight, sling swivels, and a wooden ramrod. It is accompanied by a sling and an accoutrement set that includes a possibles bag with sling and brass breast plate, a powder horn and series of period style tools, including a Rapine bullet mold, powder measure, vent pick, pan brush and screwdriver. A number of lead round balls are included as well. A rare and attractive set allowing a collector to display what the best research has determined the rifles of the expedition looked like. To my knowledge there is no surviving example of a Corps of Discovery rifle. These presentation grade guns that were made in very limited quantities sold for $3,550 in 2003, equivalent to roughly $6,000 today.