This longrifle was built by the famous contemporary longrifle maker, Fred Anderson Riley, whose fine longrifles and accouterments are appreciated for their quality, artistic merit, and correct details. Constructed in the style of those rifles popular in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania during the latter portion of the 18th century, and the early 19th century. This fine rifle is stocked in curly maple, and trimmed in engraved brass furniture, with nickel silver inlays. All of the brass has darkened and this rifle has a wonderful patina. The .38 caliber bore is bright and has been well maintained. This rifle is constructed with a 14-1/4" trigger reach and today’s average shooter will find this rifle fits comfortably. The rifle has an overall weight of 7.6 pounds. This rifle comes with its original accouterments handmade by Mr. Riley.
The heart of the rifle is its .38 caliber, 13/16" by 40” straight octagon barrel. The barrel is cut rifled with seven narrow grooves and wide lands with a slow twist for shooting patched round balls. The barrel has been finished a dark brown, which has developed a textured speckled patina from decades of use and display. The top flat is signed F. Anderson Riley behind the rear sight. The rear sight base is decorated with a hand filed French Fleur de Lis head and is dovetailed 9-1/2" ahead of the breech. A small silver front sight set in an iron base is dovetailed 1-3/4" behind the muzzle. The muzzle is neatly engraved with rope border design around the bore. The top five barrel flats are engraved with the same design, along with sunbursts on each flat near the muzzle. The breech is decorated with a double band of rope border engraving. A single line of border engraving outlines the long straight tang of the breech plug. The two tang bolt heads are neatly engraved. The barrel is mounted to the forearm with four brass keys. Each key is surrounded by an engraved silver wing shaped inlay.
One of the defining characteristics of the Bethlehem school is the "roman nose", which refers to the convex comb and the concave wrist to toe of the buttstock. A raised molding extends from the toe to the triggerguard highlighting this sweeping architecture of the buttstock. The curly maple stock is stained dark with a very subtle golden undertone. The stock has acquired a few small handling marks and all of the brass as aged to a dark patina. The patchbox is shaped with a stylized French Fleur de Lis head, and neatly finished with fine hand engraving. Shaped without side panels, raised and incised carving accents the buttstock along the door. The door has a square button release located in the comb of the buttplate. Beneath the door is a cut cavity that stores a handmade .38 caliber cleaning jag and ball puller. The tapered comb, slender wrist, and narrow lock panels can all be seen from above. Each of the top three flats on the comb of the buttplate are border engraved. Ahead of the buttplate a long floral engraved brass inlay decorates the comb of the buttstock. The front edge of the comb is defined by a line of raised carving flows down into the wrist. The area around the tang of the breech is decorated with both raised and incised carving. The neatly shaped lock panels are highlighted with a raised molding and large beaver tail finial. Attractive incised and shaped moldings extend forward from the front of the lock panels along the top of the barrel channel.
The bottom view of the rifle shows off the brass toeplate and triggerguard. The floral engraved toeplate, which is positioned to protect the delicate wood of the stock, is retained by three screws. The toeplate is also neatly dovetail notched into the bottom of the buttplate for added strength. The brass triggerguard is neatly border engraved and correctly pinned to the stock. The wooden ramrod is held in place by three brass ramrod pipes, one entry and two forward. The pipes are shaped with octagon flats with engraved raised rings. The long skirt of the entry pipe is decorated with the same floral engraving found on the toeplate and comb inlay. Raised and inside carving decorates the stock above the entry pipe and runs forward creating a molding the length of the ramrod channel. At the front of the stock an engraved brass chevron muzzlecap has been installed to protect the end grain. A 5/16" diameter hickory ramrod serves the small caliber barrel. The hidden end of the ramrod is fitted with a brass tip threaded to accept 10-32 cleaning and loading accessories, and the front is fitted with a brass loading tip. The ramrod is decorated with a barber pole design.
A backside view of the rifle shows off its engraved dome shaped serpentine brass sideplate. Two engraved domed lock bolts retain the sideplate. The buttstock is shaped with a small square cheek piece with molded edge. The cheek is inlet with an engraved hunters star inset in an oval. Both sides of the cheek are attractively decorated with raised and incised carving. The carving is well defined with clean lines and a smooth background. This rifle is well inlet, expertly carved, and captures the slim graceful shaping of fine antique rifles.
This slender rifle is fitted with a small Maslin style flint lock. The lock is well finished and neatly engraved. This small lock has a strong mainspring, secure half and full cock notches, and sparks well. Below the lock a set of double lever, double set triggers have been installed. The triggers are properly tuned to fire from the set, or unset position. Adjust the screw between the two triggers, inboard to reduce set trigger release pressure, our outboard to require a stronger pressure. Fast ignition is assured by the stainless 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.
Included with this rifle is its original set of accouterments handmade by Mr. Riley. This set includes the following items: A hand sewn and tooled leather shooting bag stamped FAR, with attached patch knife and sheath. The patch knife has a 3-5/8" blade and measures 7-1/4" overall with the maple handle. The leather bag measures 8-1/2" wide, by 6-1/2" tall, by 2-1/4" deep. The bag has two small interior pockets sewn to the back. A small pocket is sewn to the font inside for a small screwdriver/pick combo tool. The adjustable leather strap measures 1-3/4" wide and 46" long. The medium size powder horn measures 11" long from the tip of the brass spout to the wood base. A brass eyelet for attaching the strap adds 3/8" to the overall length. The horn is decorated with a floral engraved brass band at the base and matching band at the tip with eyelet. A brass pouring spout with spring loaded stopper is fitted to the tip. A 1/2" wide leather strap is fitted to the horn and measures 43" long. The horn rests right on top of the shooting bag when shouldered together. A matching flat priming horn with brass spout and spring loaded stopper fits nicely in the bag. A round ball mold stamped 0.362 with wooden handles and separate sprue cutter is included for casting ammunition. A leather bag with turned wooden spout and stopper, along with a simple tie leather bag, are both full of .362" diameter round balls. The small leather flint wallet, short starter, two wooden loading blocks, and two different volume brass powder measures are included, one measure is marked 48 and the other for 33 grains.
This fine example of a contemporary longrifle by the late Fred Anderson Riley. Neatly fitted and finished, it is a piece of American folk art, that your heirs will treasure far into the future. It will be a joy to both 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.
The heart of the rifle is its .38 caliber, 13/16" by 40” straight octagon barrel. The barrel is cut rifled with seven narrow grooves and wide lands with a slow twist for shooting patched round balls. The barrel has been finished a dark brown, which has developed a textured speckled patina from decades of use and display. The top flat is signed F. Anderson Riley behind the rear sight. The rear sight base is decorated with a hand filed French Fleur de Lis head and is dovetailed 9-1/2" ahead of the breech. A small silver front sight set in an iron base is dovetailed 1-3/4" behind the muzzle. The muzzle is neatly engraved with rope border design around the bore. The top five barrel flats are engraved with the same design, along with sunbursts on each flat near the muzzle. The breech is decorated with a double band of rope border engraving. A single line of border engraving outlines the long straight tang of the breech plug. The two tang bolt heads are neatly engraved. The barrel is mounted to the forearm with four brass keys. Each key is surrounded by an engraved silver wing shaped inlay.
One of the defining characteristics of the Bethlehem school is the "roman nose", which refers to the convex comb and the concave wrist to toe of the buttstock. A raised molding extends from the toe to the triggerguard highlighting this sweeping architecture of the buttstock. The curly maple stock is stained dark with a very subtle golden undertone. The stock has acquired a few small handling marks and all of the brass as aged to a dark patina. The patchbox is shaped with a stylized French Fleur de Lis head, and neatly finished with fine hand engraving. Shaped without side panels, raised and incised carving accents the buttstock along the door. The door has a square button release located in the comb of the buttplate. Beneath the door is a cut cavity that stores a handmade .38 caliber cleaning jag and ball puller. The tapered comb, slender wrist, and narrow lock panels can all be seen from above. Each of the top three flats on the comb of the buttplate are border engraved. Ahead of the buttplate a long floral engraved brass inlay decorates the comb of the buttstock. The front edge of the comb is defined by a line of raised carving flows down into the wrist. The area around the tang of the breech is decorated with both raised and incised carving. The neatly shaped lock panels are highlighted with a raised molding and large beaver tail finial. Attractive incised and shaped moldings extend forward from the front of the lock panels along the top of the barrel channel.
The bottom view of the rifle shows off the brass toeplate and triggerguard. The floral engraved toeplate, which is positioned to protect the delicate wood of the stock, is retained by three screws. The toeplate is also neatly dovetail notched into the bottom of the buttplate for added strength. The brass triggerguard is neatly border engraved and correctly pinned to the stock. The wooden ramrod is held in place by three brass ramrod pipes, one entry and two forward. The pipes are shaped with octagon flats with engraved raised rings. The long skirt of the entry pipe is decorated with the same floral engraving found on the toeplate and comb inlay. Raised and inside carving decorates the stock above the entry pipe and runs forward creating a molding the length of the ramrod channel. At the front of the stock an engraved brass chevron muzzlecap has been installed to protect the end grain. A 5/16" diameter hickory ramrod serves the small caliber barrel. The hidden end of the ramrod is fitted with a brass tip threaded to accept 10-32 cleaning and loading accessories, and the front is fitted with a brass loading tip. The ramrod is decorated with a barber pole design.
A backside view of the rifle shows off its engraved dome shaped serpentine brass sideplate. Two engraved domed lock bolts retain the sideplate. The buttstock is shaped with a small square cheek piece with molded edge. The cheek is inlet with an engraved hunters star inset in an oval. Both sides of the cheek are attractively decorated with raised and incised carving. The carving is well defined with clean lines and a smooth background. This rifle is well inlet, expertly carved, and captures the slim graceful shaping of fine antique rifles.
This slender rifle is fitted with a small Maslin style flint lock. The lock is well finished and neatly engraved. This small lock has a strong mainspring, secure half and full cock notches, and sparks well. Below the lock a set of double lever, double set triggers have been installed. The triggers are properly tuned to fire from the set, or unset position. Adjust the screw between the two triggers, inboard to reduce set trigger release pressure, our outboard to require a stronger pressure. Fast ignition is assured by the stainless 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.
Included with this rifle is its original set of accouterments handmade by Mr. Riley. This set includes the following items: A hand sewn and tooled leather shooting bag stamped FAR, with attached patch knife and sheath. The patch knife has a 3-5/8" blade and measures 7-1/4" overall with the maple handle. The leather bag measures 8-1/2" wide, by 6-1/2" tall, by 2-1/4" deep. The bag has two small interior pockets sewn to the back. A small pocket is sewn to the font inside for a small screwdriver/pick combo tool. The adjustable leather strap measures 1-3/4" wide and 46" long. The medium size powder horn measures 11" long from the tip of the brass spout to the wood base. A brass eyelet for attaching the strap adds 3/8" to the overall length. The horn is decorated with a floral engraved brass band at the base and matching band at the tip with eyelet. A brass pouring spout with spring loaded stopper is fitted to the tip. A 1/2" wide leather strap is fitted to the horn and measures 43" long. The horn rests right on top of the shooting bag when shouldered together. A matching flat priming horn with brass spout and spring loaded stopper fits nicely in the bag. A round ball mold stamped 0.362 with wooden handles and separate sprue cutter is included for casting ammunition. A leather bag with turned wooden spout and stopper, along with a simple tie leather bag, are both full of .362" diameter round balls. The small leather flint wallet, short starter, two wooden loading blocks, and two different volume brass powder measures are included, one measure is marked 48 and the other for 33 grains.
This fine example of a contemporary longrifle by the late Fred Anderson Riley. Neatly fitted and finished, it is a piece of American folk art, that your heirs will treasure far into the future. It will be a joy to both 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.
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