This North Carolina smoothbore appears to have been influenced by the Appalachian school of longrifles. The .58 caliber, 24 gauge, smoothbore is trimmed in iron, and stocked in curly maple. The rifle is fitted with a Jim Chambers late Ketland flintlock and double set triggers. Not a low cost poor boy style rifle, this is a full dressed best Southern rifle. The breech end of the barrel is signed K. Blevins. Trigger reach is 13-3/4", to fit today's average size shooter. Weight is a modest 6.3 pounds. The rifle balances nicely in your hands, just behind the rear sight.
The 46" octagon-to-round .58 caliber smoothbore barrel gives is a modest weight without being overly muzzle heavy. The bore measures 0.580" and is bright and has been well maintained. The barrel has a 15-1/2' octagon breech end with a single wedding band to round. A nickel silver blade front sight is dovetailed behind the muzzle. A semi buckhorn rear sight is fitted in a dovetail 10-1/2" ahead of the breech. Shooters with "older" eyes or corrective lenses will find this extra distance easier to use.
This curly maple stock is shaped with a slender buttstock, wrist, forearm and forend. The stock is stained to a dark brown with lighter undertones to best display the figure over the length of the stock. Curly maple is a very correct choice for stock wood, often found on antique Southern rifles. The furniture, barrel, and lock are finished to a silvery gray brown patina with some minor wear on the edges from handling. The stock is fitted with a crescent buttplate, and a distinctive recurved spoon-shaped grip rail common to the Appalachian school triggerguard. A flared tang breech plug is fitted to the barrel and secured with a single tang bolt. The 3/8" diameter ramrod is mounted through two forward ramrod pipes, and no entry pipe. The brass ramrod tip is threaded 8-32 to accept loading and cleaning accessories. Notice how the slender lock panels top edge is a continuation of the line created by the side and off flat of the barrel. The flash fence of the lock is placed at the breech end of the barrel. This ideal architecture gives the rifle a slender graceful appearance. The buttstock is shaped with a square cheek piece.
This rifle is fitted with a Jim Chambers late Ketland flintlock. Perhaps the most popular style of flint lock found on fine original antique American longrifles, this attractive medium size rifle lock is based on large Siler internal lock parts. You can be assured of long life, and easy service, if ever needed. Notice the pointed tail and rounded pan of the lock plate. The tail of the lock plate is slightly lower than the raised panel that forms the lock plate, separated by an attractive molding. The raised panel is surrounded by a chamfered edge. The frizzen glides over a roller bearing on the frizzen spring, which is retained by a hidden mounting screw. The Ketland family of lock makers were quick to incorporate the best new features in their rifles, fowlers, and flint locks.This flintlock has a strong mainspring and sparks very well. We recommend our #FLINT-ENG-6 3/4" knapped English flints for best performance. The stainless steel touch hole liner brings the main charge very close to the priming flash. This vent is perfectly centered over the pan, correctly positioned to find the hottest center of the ignition flash. The R.E. Davis double lever double set triggers will fire from a set or unset position, and can be adjusted for trigger pull in the set position. Adjust the screw between the two triggers, inboard to reduce set trigger release pressure, or outboard to require a stronger pressure. The set trigger can provide very light release, perhaps an ounce or two, for accurate aimed shooting during pleasant weather.
This flintlock Southern smoothrifle is light weight with a .58 caliber smoothbore barrel. The bore is bright and has been well maintained. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
