C1830 sidehammer bar lock rifle attributed to Joseph Medbery of Rochester, NY - $1350.00
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C1830 sidehammer bar lock rifle attributed to Joseph Medbery of Rochester, NY. Medbery worked as a gunsmith in from 1818-1841, apprenticing the famed William Billinghurst, who then started his own business in Rochester, eventually purchasing Medbery's business in 1841. The lock is an unmarked Ephram Gilbert patent bar lock or "mule ear" design, using a fulminate pill percussion ignition system that ended up losing out to the more practical copper cap system. Medbery is known to have used Gilbert lock, the patchbox is very similar to marked rifles, as is the octogram in the cheek rest of the butt and side screw escutcheon. Has an additional three-pointed star in the left side of the butt, possibly representing the Holy Trinity. 36" octagon barrel of 7/8" width and 0.35" bore. Brass parts have a light coloration, silver inlays are tarnished, iron parts are nicely patinated and virtually free of pitting. Walnut fullstock is straight-grained, plainly but lovingly shaped, having smooth surfaces with minor handling marks, small crack by lock screw, collector number PL9 painted on left side of heel of butt long ago. Patina of stock has some narrow run marks from where something dripped on it. This is a very refined example of western New York gunmaking of the early percussion period. Mechanically good, sold as a collector item only, not warranted safe to shoot.
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