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As part of my Dad's estate, I've inherited a muzzle loading rifle. I now have it physically in my possession and am trying to figure out what to do with it. What I'd like to do is to have someone familiar with such guns look at it from both a value and safety aspect. I'd like to try to find someone like that in the DFW area.

I can probably find a way to post some pictures of it. The stock shows a lot of wear and I assume that it was actually used by someone in my family but there is no longer a way to find out exactly by whom.

Thanks for any tips that you can provide.

Chas

I carefully examined the length of the barrel and there are no markings that I can find anywhere. There is a name inscribed in a plate on the side of the stock "Josh Golcher" but I assume that might have been a former owner. It isn't a name from any part of my family but I'm not sure how this gun came into the family.

The hammer has a concave bottom which goes over a pipe looking piece. The barrel is definitely rifled and the grooves are very deep. I'll have pictures by this evening.

Are any measurements important?

Thanks

Chas

http://www.sportscomet.com/Hunting/182892.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Joseph Golcher was a lockmaker who was located in Philadelphia PA circa the mid 19th century. His locks were sold to gunsmiths all over the country, particularly in the East.

Golcher made percussion and flint gun locks circa 1825 - 1860.

Joseph Golcher and Josh Golcher are one and the same.

Edited to included source....

TxLobo wrote: I wouldn't restore it or do any major cleaning until you have it checked by a gunsmith.

No, I won't. I have no intention of touching it until I'm sure that whatever I'm doing will help it. It does appear to have some more intricate work in the metal but it isn't in great condition to be seen with the naked eye and I doubt it is going to show up well in any picture that I could take. There just isn't much contrast with the background.

The information you have supplied so far is consistent with my expectations. My family is from upstate PA (just South of State College) so a gun from the Philadelphia area makes perfect sense. Like many other families from that area, immigration was probably through Phila.

I'm working on pictures.

Chas

Here we go:






Please let me know if other views would be helpful

Chas

Thanks, Andy. I followed your suggestion and am waiting for my registration approval.

Chas

WOW!

What an inheritence. Nice!

Looks to be a Pennsylvania long rifle from the limited angles in the photo. Here is an auction on Gun Broker for one of Golcher's long rifle models http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =182759330" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'll be sure to share any information that I get. I was curious about the rifling, too.

Based on a careful examination of the back of the barrel, I'd be afraid to load it now to try to fire it. It may only be useful as a wall ornament (and we really don't have that kind of room here.)

I will definitely use it as a learning experience, whether I ultimately decide to keep it or not. It has no specific sentimental value to me since I'm not sure which of my ancestors might have actually used it. I can certainly admire anyone who could have hit anything with it. It isn't easy to hold on target in an offhand position. I'm a Civil War history buff (though not a particularly good student of it) and weapons from that period are particuarlly facinating. I doubt that this one was used for anything but hunting.

I still haven't heard anything back from the muzzle loader group registration. As soon as I do, I'll post the pictures there and see what kind of information I can get.

Thanks again for you help.

Chas.

Some custom builders made the rifling deeply cut because of the potential of the bore to wear down over time. It's not uncommon to have a .58 cal that was originally a .50 when it was made. These firearms were made from softer metals (many older rifles were wrought Iron) and many makers just cut the rifling deeper to avoid having to rifle the barrel after freshening or even fully re-boring it. Each freshening made the caliber increase by roughly 2 ( a .40 after two freshenings would be around .44). They could simply freshen or perform a full re-bore on the barrel, lap the rifling and be ready to shoot.
One other reason some chose to do this is the ability to make one size barrel with one "rifling master" (pattern) that could handle multiple calibers. But the former is most likely the main reason.