Arms, Armor and Militaria

About .52 caliber. 36" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish. Curled maple stock has a straight grip and carved cheekpiece to left side. Percussion rifle most likely converted from flintlock at some point, with notch rear sight and silver post front sight. Item features double set triggers, patchbox to left side, and a rifled barrel. Stock has 14 German silver escutcheons deeply engraved with scrollwork to both sides including six to forearm (three on both sides), four more elaborate escutcheons to left side of butt, one on top of wrist, one on right side of butt, one on comb, an engraved eagle to cheekpiece, and an engraved grip plate to bottom of forearm. Patchbox is very elaborate with 13 pierced sections and deep attractive scrollwork engravings. Brass fittings included faceted buttplate, thimbles, and triggerguard, as well as a wave pattern engraved toe plate with 5 screws, and a cheekpiece plate that appears to be very lightly engraved with a name in script (possibly Dxxxx S. William). Barrel is engraved with a name that appears to be Armstrong, preceded by two illegible initials that appear to be A.H. most likely of gunmaker Aaron H. Armstrong from Mercer County. Lock has illegible manufacturer markings and simple game scene engravings, possibly a commercial English lock and likely a replacement. Includes half of a more recent wood ramrod.

Aaron H. Armstrong was a Western Pennsylvania gunsmith who is believed to have worked in Beaver County c.1841-46, and is listed in the 1850 Mercer County census working as a gunsmith.

It is possible that this rifle was assembled from several rifles/parts at some point during the early percussion period or after. It has several style characteristics that are similar to "Golden Age" Kentucky rifles sold online, as well as schools of gunmakers detailed in Kindig's Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle. During examination, it was noted that this rifle has forearm escutcheons that are similar to an Allen Armstrong rifle sold in 2011. However, the "National Road" patchbox style and silver escutcheons on the butt are also very similar to rifles shown in Kindig's Thoughts (T. Allison, G. Kettering, and an unknown maker, p.532-538). The National Road patchbox was also a characteristic used by gunmakers of the Pittsburgh and Mercer/Beaver County Schools. These three gunmakers all used the same style of elaborate, heavily pierced and engraved patchboxes. They also carved their stocks with beautiful raised scrollwork very similar to the silver escutcheon shapes used on this rifle. The barrel plain script signature "Armstrong" appears very similar to how John Armstrong signed his barrels, but without the brass plate inlet. In addition to Armstrong, this rifle also shares similarities with gunmakers Andrew Kopp and Nathaniel Row of the Emmitsburg School. Kopp was an older contemporary of John Armstrong and is believed to have influenced his work. According to Kinding, Kopp was most likely trained trained by George Eister of York County.