This fine rifle by contemporary maker T. Gray has a early 19th century appearance. This rifle features very neatly fitted furniture and sleek shaping. The rifle appears to be inspired by examples by John Jacob Sheets who worked in Virginia in the 19th century. The black walnut stock is trimmed in blued iron furniture. The lock is a Jim Chambers' late English flintlock mated to a single trigger with a straight octagon Colerain barrel. Trigger reach is 14" to fit today's average size shooter. Weight is 7.5 pounds.
The .40 caliber 13/16" straight Colerain barrel is 42" long. Colerain rifle barrels are drilled from solid steel, cut rifled with six “round bottom" grooves with a 1 in 56" twist for a tightly patched round ball. The “radius groove rifling", Colerain uses eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Colerain rifle barrels are the favorite choice of today's best muzzle loading gun makers, because knowledgeable shooters demand Colerain's accuracy, inside and outside. The blued barrel is fitted with a flat top rear sight in a raised dovetail 10-1/2" ahead of the breech and a nickel silver barley corn blade front sight with brass base is dovetailed 1-3/4" behind the muzzle. The top flat of the barrel between the breech and rear sight is signed ~T. Gray~.
The buttstock has very attractive lines with a straight comb and toe. The black walnut stock has a satin oiled finish. All the inletting is very well executed with tight metal to wood fit. The steel butt plate comb has a single flat along the top, and the mounting screws are neatly indexed. The cheek is angled to the rear, to recoil away from your face, an ingenious feature found on better rifles. The flared breech plug tang is neatly inlet and the tang bolt is countersunk with the slot aligned with the barrel. The rifle's furniture was hand polished and finished to a blue with a hint of silvery undertone. As-new the furniture will acquire a patina with use and handling. The toe plate is retained by two steel wood screws. The triggerguard is correctly pinned to the stock. The grip rail has a curled spoon, and the bow has some crisp filed moldings. A muzzle cap protects the end grain of the forearm. The 3/8" diameter ramrod is mounted through round ramrod pipes with ringed ends. The ramrod is fitted with a steel band tip to secure the end grain with steel 8-32 threaded tip for loading and cleaning accessories on the opposite end. This rifle includes a brass ramrod extension with cleaning jag. The lock panels are very trim and neatly shaped to give this rifle a slender profile. The lock is retained by two lock bolts mounted through individual sideplates. the rear sideplate is a decorative nickel silver lozenge design, while the front is a washer style. The walnut stock has a square cheek piece with molded edge and accent line along the lower edge.
The rifle is fitted with a late classic Ketland lock by Jim Chambers. This attractive medium size rifle lock is based on large Siler internal lock parts. The plate is shaped in the style of popular imported English flintlock from the 1790 to 1820 era. The tail of the lock plate is slightly lower than the raised panel that forms the lock plate, separated by an attractive molding. The raised panel is surrounded by a chamfered edge. We recommend our 3/4" knapped English flints for best performance in this flintlock. Fast ignition is assured by the carbon steel vent liner, positioned well above the bottom of the pan, centered on the heat of the flash. If your flint longrifle suffers from that infamous slow whoosh-bang ignition delay, study the work of today's best gun makers, and position your vent well centered on the pan, high above the bottom, to serve as a window on the center of the flash. The single trigger is pinned high to provide a crisp trigger release.
A finely made flintlock early 19th century Virginia longrifle that you will be proud to own, shoot, and display. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
