Arms, Armor and Militaria

.44 caliber. 36" octagonal barrel. SN: NSN. Browned metal finish. Curled maple full stock has a straight wrist and Roman curve butt with carved cheek rest. Percussion rifle most likely converted from Flintlock, with notch and blade sights. Item features 7-groove rifling, double set triggers, brass patchbox, and toe release with a strong iron spring. Patchbox has a B-finial, is pierced eight times, and has what appears to be an ivory push button release on toe. Patchbox is also engraved with simple incised lines, cross hatching, and what appears to be an eagle on patchbox cover. Stock has faceted brass hardware including ramrod thimbles, triggerguard, and buttplate, as well as a rounded brass forend cap. Stock is also fitted with many silver and brass escutcheons including a brass grip plate to bottom of forearm, eight silver crescent moons to forearm (four on each side), eight silver heart/tear drops around wrist and butt, a silver scroll/neoclassical motif below cheek rest, and an eye shaped silver escutcheon with compass star engraving on face of cheek rest. Barrel is marked W*L and there is intertwined wriggle work engravings around both rear and front sights. Lockplate is marked Henry James/Warranted and is engraved with scrollwork and what appears to be a turkey.

This rifle was most likely made by Union/Snyder County PA gunsmith William Laudenslager. According to several sources, Laudenslager rifles typically have similar features to this rifle including an eagle patchbox engraving, barrel signed with "W*L" initials and star, wriggle work engravings, and a two piece ramrod throat thimble held together with an iron rivet.

According to a family biography by the AmericanLongRifle.org, Laudenslager was born Wilhelm "William" Laudenslager on January 25, 1819 in Union/Snyder County PA. He came from a family of gunsmiths and is said to have been taught by his uncle Samuel H. St. Clair of Kratzerville, New Berlin PA area. His older brother Samuel J. Laudenslager was a more prolific gunsmith, and is known to have signed his rifles "S*L". Tax records show that William worked as a gunsmith from about 1842-1855 in Snyder County. He later moved to Seneca County Ohio around 1860, and again in 1870 to Wynadot County Ohio where he continued work as a gunsmith but only doing basic repairs. Laudenslager remained in Wynadot County OH and died October 25, 1882.