This is a percussion, half stock, octagon barreled trade rifle from the mid 1800's. It has an overall length of 49", with a barrel length of 33 3/4". The octagon barrel has a smooth, dark patina with moderate pitting and pinpricking at the bolster area. The bore is .61 caliber and is dark with light pitting, the rifling, if it ever had any, is all but gone. The rear sight is the simple buckhorn style, the front a brass blade dovetailed into the barrel. Stamped on the top of the barrel in two lines is H DERINGER/PHILa. The father and son gunsmiths, both name Henry Deringer, lived in Philadelphia. The senior Deringer was known to have made Kentucky rifles, and received a contract on 7 November, 1837 for 2500 rifles for Indians at $13.50 each. The lockplate is stamped in two lines, TRYON/WARRANTED. George Tryon was also a Philadelphia gun maker in the same time period as the Deringers'. Tryon received a contract for 1000 Indian rifles the same time as the Deringer's. I believe this gun was made by Henry Deringer, as the stock looks very similar to the Kentucky/Pennsylvania long rifle. The barrel is retained by one iron pin, made from a square nail, and one tang screw. The single brass ramrod pipe is secured to the barrel by means of soldering. The wooden ramrod appears to be tipped with some type of horn, secured by two small brass pins. The mechanics of the lock have a problem. The hammer will not hold in the cocked position. The butt plate, trigger guard and ramrod thimbles are brass. The side plate is iron and held in place by 29 small iron pins. I suspect the stock is cracked in this area and the pins were used as a repair. The stock is in worn and tired condition. There is a loss of wood at the front of the lock, significant enough to require the use of another iron pin to help secure the lock. There is a long cut on the left side of the stock that is very shallow, it looks to have been intentionally put there. Amazingly there are no stress cracks in the stock. This is still a very good example of a mid 1800's trade gun that has seen it's fair share of use. Despite the repairs, it displays with that look of having been there and getting the job done! This trade gun came out of the Ben Michele collection.

Item # AA2049

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