W Billinghurst Muzzleloader

What is the caliber ? It looks like a smooth bore also given that there is birds on the lock I would assume as much.

Does it hold full #### and fire ? Bore quality is also important, if you take an empty nickel case and drop it down then shine a light in you should be able to see if there is any amount of bad pitting.

My guess would be mid to late 1800's and in the 200- 400 dollar range unless there is anything special about the maker.

Im sure mooncoon our resident expert will chime in soon and let you know more.

Cheers, McLean
 
William Billinghurst was a fairly famous name in target rifles, unless I am mistaken. I tried doing a google search on his name and got lots of photos but didn't immediately see a link to his history.

I think your gun would bring more than a little known maker because of the name but its potential value is also going to hinge pretty heavily on the condition of the bore.. To me the gun looks more like a hunting rifle than a target gun. I would guess the price would range between $4-500 with a terrible bore to $1000 or so with a good or at least shootable bore but that is a guess on my part.

I am sure you will find Billinghurst guns for sale with prices in the thousands but I also suspect they will be guns with excellent finish and with target accessories and possibly a case

cheers mooncoon
 
As I'm to understand it, back in the day (1870's-80's) gun makers made 3 types of rifles; Fine Target, Target/hunting hybrid {for lack of a better word}, and the hunting rifle. As your rifle has simple features to it, yet the muzzle end is cut round to accept the bullet starter, I would lean to the hybrid type. Don't be surprised if there is some strange progressive riffling in the bore. These rifles generally shot a conical bullet that was patched with paper strips.
What's it worth depends largely on condition.
 
thanks

thanks for all the info! I have read some history on Billinghurst and know that he was well known .. I believe it is a 50 calibre. As soon as I get back i will get a firm meausre on the bore and chk for any rifling. I belive it is a smooth bore tho. The hammer is fully functional, with half and full #### modes. its in good shape with little rust damage. My family got it from the attic of an ontario farm in the early 70's..where it had been for at least 100 yrs by their account. the farmer had no use for it and gave it to my father.
I have fired it once.howeevr their is some cracking in the forestock at the rivet (?) so I have not fired it since not wishing to aggravate the condition. Other than that the rest seems to be in original condition..I also have the powder tin that came with it...but its pretty dented up....
 
plinker 777 said:
As your rifle has simple features to it, yet the muzzle end is cut round to accept the bullet starter,
Click to expand...

I think you will find that percussion rifles fall more into the 1830 - 1865 time period. By 1870, cartridge rifles were taking over

I also think that the muzzle has been turned round mostly for decoration. If it was intended that the gun be loaded with a false muzzle, there will be holes in the muzzle end of the barrel and the false muzzle pin indexes into those holes so that the rifling in the false muzzle lines up with the barrel

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I think you will find that percussion rifles fall more into the 1830 - 1865 time period. By 1870, cartridge rifles were taking over

I also think that the muzzle has been turned round mostly for decoration. If it was intended that the gun be loaded with a false muzzle, there will be holes in the muzzle end of the barrel and the false muzzle pin indexes into those holes so that the rifling in the false muzzle lines up with the barrel

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

Thank you for the correction Mooncoon, I would really like to see pics of this gun.
 
A round muzzle could be used for a piston starter, even if there was no false muzzle. Might facilitate loading conicals, would work with patched roung balls as well. Like a short starter. If the bore is still rifled, the twist would tell the tale.
 
In Ned Robert's book "The Muzzle-loading Caplock Rifle" the following info was presented - summarized here: Very famous builder of superbly accurate hunting and target rifles in Rochester NY for at least 40 years - died 1880. His rifles often had gain-twist rifling and the rounded muzzle was indeed for a "Guide Bullet Starter" for starting a conical picket-ball into the rifling (this was prior to the 1840 invention of the classic "False Muzzle" that had the 4 indexing pegs. He was apparently often sought by wealthy foreigners to build rifles and shipped them all over the world. Although he did build shotguns on occasion, I doubt very much yours is a smoothbore. The name alone makes the rifle of interest but the condition of the bore and lock will determine the real value. I recommend having it professionally appraised as you may have a real treasure that is shootable!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom