This longrifle is fitted with a 42" swamped octagon barrel by Rice Barrel Company. The maple stock is finished to dark brown with a gloss finish. The L&R Classic flintlock is finished bright and the Rice swamped barrel is finished to a blue gray patina. The brass furniture is burnished bright. This longrifle has some sanding marks on the stock and the furniture and lock were not fully polished to an even finish. Trigger reach is 13-1/4" to fit today's average size shooter. Weight is 7.9 pounds and balances nicely when held offhand due to the swamped octagon barrel.

The .50 caliber 42" swamped octagon barrel, by Rice Barrel Company, is finished to blue gray patina with some thin areas. The swamped barrel is tapered and flared, thickest at the breech for strength, thinning to a waist ahead of center, and flaring slightly at the muzzle, to bring the front sight and rear sight to the same plane. The .50 caliber bore is rifled with seven round bottom grooves with a 1 in 66" twist for patched round ball. The bore is bright and has been well maintained. The swamped barrel is fitted with a flat top rear sight dovetailed 13" ahead of the breech. This extra distance from the breech often makes it easier for shooters with "older" eyes or corrective lenses to focus on the sights. A nickel silver blade front sight is dovetailed behind the muzzle.

Rice Muzzle Loading Rifle Barrels are set between centers and milled octagonal, insuring a centered bore, concentric with the exterior, with no "run-out". Each barrel is stress relieved in an atmosphere controlled electric furnace, to eliminate work hardening or barrel warp, and to dampen harmonic vibrations or barrel whip. After the rifling has been cut, each bore is "ball burnished". A carbide bore-sizing die is pulled through the barrel, to insure bore dimension uniformity, eliminating any tight or loose spots inside the barrel. This critical procedure leaves the top of the lands smooth and polished, equaling the traditional lead lapping procedure. Rice barrels are Match grade quality, with bench rest capability. Rice barrels do not require lapping or extensive shooting to break-in.

The buttstock has the straight comb line, rather than the drooping lines found on some rifles. The maple is stained to a dark brown with a reddish undertone. The buttplate is wide, nearly flat, to help spread the felt recoil over a large area. The buttplate is shaped with panels with a wedding band transition to the comb The brass furniture is finished bright and still has some visible file and polish marks that were not completely blended. Inletting is fair with some visible gaps along the edges. The cheek is angled to the rear, to recoil away from your face. Lock panels taper widest at the rear in early longrifle fashion.

A short brass toeplate protects the fragile wood at the toe from damage during loading and cleaning. The brass triggerguard is a wide late 18th century design. The triggerguard is mounted with pins and has some decorative moldings and engraving on the bow. The ramrod pipes are shaped with octagon bodies and decorative rings on the ends. The 3/8" diameter ramrod is fitted with a brass tip with 10-32 threads for loading and cleaning accessories. The square cheek is inlaid with nickel silver hunter's star. To the rear of the cheek the stock is raised carved with vine design. The carving has a fuzzy background and the gloss finish accents the tool marks.

Ignition is provided by a L&R Classic flintlock. The lock has a Germanic style with a octagon pan, chamfered plate and pointed tail. The lock is finished bright, but the polishing is incomplete with a few areas that have some of the cast texture remaining as well as cross direction polishing. We recommend using our 3/4" hand knapped flints in this lock. This rifle is fitted double lever double set triggers. Properly tuned and adjusted the triggers can be fired from either the set or unset position. Triggers may be set before or after cocking the lock.

Ignition is provided through a stainless steel vent liner. The lock and in relation the vent liner is positioned well ahead of the breech end of the barrel. This has put the center of the vent liner about 3/8" ahead of the face of the breech plug. This rifle should fire correctly, but if a very small charge was used the ball could be pushed over the vent. The lock position also gives the lock panel a "hump" due to the length of the tang.

We recommend simple Colonial rifle for the Revolutionary War volunteer, seeking a suitable gun for militia duty. 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.