The heart of the rifle is a 38 by 15/16" straight octagon .54 caliber Green Mountain barrel. The bore is cut rifled with eight lands and grooves with a slow twist for patched round ball. Green Mountain Barrels are machined from high quality American made bar stock, A.I.S.I. 1137 modified, stress relieved, annealed, certified rifle barrel quality steel. All barrels are drilled from solid stock, reamed to a high degree of smoothness, then optically checked for straightness. Very close tolerances are maintained. The exterior of the barrel is finished t o a smooth chocolate brown. A steel blade front sight is dovetailed behind the muzzle. A flat top rear sight is dovetailed 11" ahead of the breech..
Stained to a medium-dark brown, the wood is nicely shaped and finished. The rifle is in new, unfired condition and has none of the marks associated with use. The comb of the brass buttplate is shaped with five flats. The nearly flat buttplate will help spread the recoil of the .54 caliber rifle. A line of incised carving runs from the toe along the bottom of the buttstock to the rear of the triggerguard. The top view shows the thumbnail of the flared breech plug with a raised carved Fluer de Lys. A single bolt passes through to engage the trigger plate below. Three small steel pins retain the barrel the forearm. The bottom view shows that no toe plate is used on this barn rifle. The brass triggerguard is neatly hand filed with crisp flats front and rear. The bow of the guard is signed M. Compton.
The ramrod entry pipe does not have a skirt and all three round pipes are very plain. The ramrod is fitted with a steel tip with 8-32 threads for loading and cleaning accessories. No muzzlecap is fitted and the wood has been gently relieved to allow easy access to the ramrod. A simple square cheek is formed on the left side of the buttstock. The side panel omits the sideplate and the two lock bolts pass through simple brass washer style plates.
Ignition for the gun is provided by this early Ketland English flint lock by Jim Chambers. This flat faced English flint lock is made in the style of the early work of Thomas Ketland. Locks of this design are often found on longrifles and fowling guns of the 1.54-1780 era. Combine it with our hand knapped 7/8" English gun flints for best results. A White Lightnin' vent hole is well centered both horizontally and vertically. 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 trigger has a wide curled face with scroll back design. The trigger is pinned high to provide good leverage against the sear of the lock.
This rifle is a classic barn rifle assembled with limited brass furniture. The .54 caliber 15/16" octagon barrel gives it a modest weight without being overly muzzle heavy. The rifle is as-new, unfired by contemporary maker M. Compton. 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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Ten day inspection begins at delivery. Send your approval. Else return it for same day refund, if not delighted. Postage is your only risk.