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Help with a unidentified percussion rifle

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  PaleHawkDown 
Well, the gun has a Malherbe lock, or close facsimile, and while Malherbe made sporting rifles/muskets/fowlers for wealthy clients, they were mostly known for military rifles. They made the Malherbe 1842, the Saxon/Dresden M1851 (Which may or may not be separate models), and the m/1855, all of which had that lock.

Malherbe was also known for their intricate wood carving.

This, however, is not a pattern of rifle that I can find in the literature of Malherbe. They typically made fancy locks for sporting guns and left the 1842 pattern locks for large-scale commercial trade.

Both the Union and the Confederacy listed the various Malherbe rifles as "top grade", and the guns were prized. Many surplus Malherbe muskets and rifles were turned into gorgeous sporters around the world from the 1850s through the 1880s.

Basically: Either someone copied/used an "1842"-pattern Malherbe lock on a custom rifle, that IS a Malherbe that was beautifully "sportered"(but isn't marked as such?), or that was a custom-made gun by Malherbe or one of his apprentices.
 
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