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Posted: 3/11/2025 11:06:35 AM EDT
This past weekend at the local Cascade Mountain Men Muzzle Loading Arms Show, I picked up this interesting (to me) flintlock rifle. I sold my "ugly", "extra" Pedersoli Brown Bess and bought this, a Pedersoli Kentucky pistol kit (.45 cal flint) and an unmarked shoulder stock for a C&B revolver.   According to the seller, it is a 19th C. lock and barrel "rebuilt" with a new stock and possibly other parts some time in the 20th C. Caliber is about .40. Lock functions and sparks lightly (flint adjustment needed at least) with a VERY light trigger pull. The ram rod is missing a head and is very slim with a steel core. The other end has a wooden eye for a cleaning patch The octagon barrel is about 40" long and 0.87" across the flats. Overall length is just under 56" and it weighs a little over 8.5 lbs. I dropped a 0.395 ball in the bore and it fell just about an inch before stopping. I did not want to use any force on it for obvious reasons. Can try other ball sizes later. What I could find about Mr. Spies is that he was mainly an importer and seller of military goods in the mid 1800s. The locks with his name are likely from Birmingham. The time he was in business was kind of late for flint locks (1850-60s). I don't recall seeing any info on barrels or complete guns, though this probably isn't original anyway and even the barrel may not be an original of any kind, much less associated with a Spies gun. So what do you guys think? Any other info would be appreciated. I'd like to shoot this rifle, assuming the bore is decent and the barrel is sound. Rob |
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