I almost had a heart attack when I saw the pix of this rifle - I have one virtually identical hanging on my wall! My late uncle had bought it about 1930 from a farm family (Culver) near Cobourg ON. Their ancestors had brought it to Canada when they immigrated from Long Island TN in the mid-late 1830's. It was missing the lock and broken through the grip but with help from a Port Hope gunsmith, Walter Jacob, it was restored well enough to be a nice wall-hanger. He tried unsuccessfully for 50 years to find out about it's origin, including letters to Capt. Dillon, author of "The Kentucky Rifle" and other authorities. Since I inherited it in the late 1980's I have contacted numerous collectors, The Kentucky Rifle Association and the National Muzzle Loading Rifle association, all without success except that it was identified as "probably from New York State and I had noted that it was quite similar to a Caswell rifle seen in a photo. Mine has no identification other than over the breech in small block letters is stamped "C. Waggon". We have found references to "Waggonner" but not C. Waggon. I have to wonder whether Waggon was an employee of the Caswell gun company.
My rifle shares the identical stock shape with comb line blending into the checkered grip, the small brass trigger guard and the unusual, but not unknown feature of a brass trigger and trigger plate. I has actually wondered whether the brass trigger and plate had been replacement parts made by my uncle when he did the restoration. My rifle was never a flintlock - produced as a percussion. Other features of my gun are an ornate ramrod entry pipe with a prominent wedge-shaped thumbnail - point facing rearward. Of particular note is that these rifles share identical patchboxes, both in design and the fact they are in two parts, not 4 parts as was most common. I could not determine how the patchbox lid was released, from the photos but mine has a "secret" release: that being that the toe plate is shaped like a beaver tail and depressing the beavertail releases the latch. I would be very interested to learn whether this gun has the same features. I would be eternally grateful if Buffdog would search his book for any info on a person named "C. Waggon.
I have been enthralled by this gun since childhood and was thrilled to finally inherit it as it was probably the main impetus for me getting into black powder shooting. It was not practical to restore it to shooting condition so about 7 years ago I set out to create a shooting copy and although it took a couple of years, I did it. I have won a few BP trail walks with it and shot a couple of deer too so in a sense have brought the spirit back to life I should add that on my oldie the bore was 44 or 45 caliber, the barrel was 40" long and 1 " straight octagon. My copy is the same except that I could only obtain a 15/16" barrel so used that instead.
RPCW: your friend has a wonderful find - encourage him to take care of it and not to rush into any "restoration" without consulting bona fide experts in antique guns because just about any fiddling will depreciate it's value. Thanks a million for your photos and PM me if you have any questions that I might help with. BTW, I would really appreciate photos showing the ramrod entry pipe, either of the forward pipes and the back side of the stock across from the lock to show the washer or inlay that receives the lock cross-bolt. Thanks again.
