1851 Muzzleloader, identification help please !

[Chronor]

My dad bought this thing almost 10 years ago and I was wondering if anyone had any information on it.

As you can see from the pictures its not in very good shape, as the stock is cracked in half and held together with wire, and the firing mechanism is mostly gone.


The only markings on it are the inscription 1851 and the name J. Barlow in a curly sort of script. I tried to take pictures but its very faint.

He paid $40 for it an an antique show, and doesn't want to sell it any time soon, but just for curiosities sake any help or additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[tiriaq]

Well, you know the who, and the when.
The rifle appears to be an example of the plain sort of working rifle. Probably American made. The condition is not really all that bad. Drum is broken off, the hammer is gone, and there is the stock damage, but the rifle is definitely repairable, in the hands of a knowledgable restorer.

 

[mooncoon]

There was a J Barlow who made Kentucky and plains rifles in Moscow Indiana, 1836 to 1859. Only other J Barlow in Gardner was much later

cheers Doug

 

[Musketfire]

What a beauty!!!!!

Is the breechplug mashed out??

Either/or It would really be amazing all properly fixed.

 

[Steppenwolf]

Looks like a shooter

 

[Chronor]

What a beauty!!!!!

Is the breechplug mashed out??

Either/or It would really be amazing all properly fixed.

I know virtually nothing about muzzleloaders, so to be honest I don't even know what a breechplug is, much less its condition.

Thanks for the replies, just out of curiosity, since I don't have a PAL yet and neither does my dad, am I in the clear legally? Obviously its in no condition to fire, but does it need registration or anything like that?

Thanks.

 

[mooncoon]

Thanks for the replies, just out of curiosity, since I don't have a PAL yet and neither does my dad, am I in the clear legally? Obviously its in no condition to fire, but does it need registration or anything like that?

The gun is exempt from registration under cc84 1a as an antique and you do not require a PAL to possess it

cheers mooncoon

 

[Chronor]

Thats what I thought, thanks for the confirmation.