The unique style of Southern Mountain rifles originated from the Western Carolinas into Eastern Tennessee during the late 18th and early 19th century. This Southern Mountain rifle is stocked in curly maple and trimmed in iron furniture finished to a dark brown. Antique Southern Mountain rifles are often trimmed in iron furniture, with hardware store locks, and double set triggers. This rifle is fitted with a Jim Chambers' late Ketland flintlock, and double lever double set triggers. This nice example of a Southern Mountain rifle features attractive shaping with excellent metal to wood fit. This rifle is stocked with a 13-5/8" trigger reach, for an average size shooter. This trim longrifle weighs only 6.9 pounds, and will be a pleasure to carry afield. This rifle does not appear to have been used much and displays a few marks on the frizzen face, but none of the typically wear you see on the pan or around the vent.

The .50 caliber 42" Rice barrel has a swamped profile, thickest at the breech for strength, tapering to a narrow waist, and flaring at the muzzle to put the sights on the same plane. Cut rifled, the bore has seven lands and square grooves with a 1 turn in 66 inch twist, for .50 caliber round ball. Made in the USA, Rice Muzzle Loading Rifle Barrels are reamed, rifled, and "ball burnished" to a mirror finish, with a more uniform bore diameter than can be achieved with reaming alone. Match quality, no break-in period, no hand lapping is required. This barrel will shoot accurately from the very first shot. The bore is bright, clean, and appears to be very well maintained. The rear sight is a flat top dovetailed 11" from the breech. The brass blade front sight is dovetailed behind the muzzle.

The maple stock is finished to a warm brown with a hint of golden undertone. This mountain rifle is a full dress Tennessee rifle with buttplate, muzzle cap, and entry pipe. All of the iron furniture; buttplate, triggerguard, ramrod pipes, are finished to a attractive dark brown finish. The buttplate appears to be formed from sheet stock with a joint at the heel, just like a antique rifle. The barrel is breeched with a long tang that extends down the wrist to just ahead of the comb. The stock has cast-off for a right hand shooter. Cast-off places the right hand shooter's eye directly behind the line of sight making it instinctive to point and shoot.

Two small steel screws retain the toeplate. The toeplate protects the fragile toe area, which is otherwise often susceptible to dents and chips during loading and cleaning. The triggerguard is securely mounted to the stock with screws, traditional for this region. The grip rail of the triggerguard is secured to the bow with a copper rivet. The forend is neatly shaped with a slender profile and a nickel silver muzzle cap protects the end grain of the stock. Three ramrod pipes secure the tapered ramrod to the rifle. The ramrod is fitted with a brass tip threaded 8-32 for loading and cleaning accessories. A single wing shaped nickel silver sideplate is fitted to the side panel. The side panel is neatly shaped with the upper edge at the quarter flat of the barrel. The buttstock is shaped with a square cheek piece.

The 1820 era Ketland flintlock is perhaps the most popular style of flint lock found on fine original antique American longrifles. This attractive medium size rifle lock is based on our best Siler internal lock parts. The pan is rounded in English fashion, and the tail has been squared in 1820 era style. The tail of the lock plate is slightly lower than the raised panel that forms the lock plate, separated by an attractive molding. The frizzen glides over a roller bearing on the frizzen spring, which is retained by a hidden mounting screw. The Ketland family of lock makers were quick to incorporate the best new features in their rifles, fowlers, and flint locks. We recommend our 3/4" knapped English flints for use with this lock.

Fast ignition is assured by the 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. Below the lock a set of double lever, double set triggers are 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.

In excellent condition, this .50 caliber longrifle has a modest weight, snappy Chambers lock, curly maple stock, and well fitted iron trim. The frizzen shows only a few marks from testing. This rifle will be a joy to shoot at the range or in the deep woods. 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.