Shown here is a previously unpublished John Davidson longrifle. It was made for a farmer in Rockbridge county Virginia and is still in the family. While the rifle is the victim of a very poor restoration job many years ago, there is still considerable artistic merit to the gun.
The longrifle is mostly intact. The original nose piece is missing as is the trigger guard. The guard on the rifle now does not belong by any stretch of the imagination. It was just stuck on there so there would be a guard. Missing wood in the forearm and around the lock and tang was replaced with body putty, but the thimbles appear to be original as does the lock plate with a period conversion from flint to percussion. The best part of the longrifle is the butt stock. It has a typical John Davidson patchbox with some great engraving, and some unique floral cheek side carving.
Rather than further describe the longrifle, I will let the photographs speak for themselves. I do have to beg your indulgence for any deficiencies in the photographs. They were, by necessity, taken at the owners house, outside, on a sunny, windy day, in the partial shade of a large tree. It is amazing they turned out as well as they did.
PDF Data Sheet for John Davidson Rifle
Excel Data Sheet for John Davidson Rifle
Photos are Copyright 2011 Mark E. Elliott, All Rights Reserved, published with the permission of the owner. Please do not duplicate without permission.
Nice pictures on this rifle. Abysmal work on this grand old piece! I have to wonder about people and what they believe in repairing such a antique, the took a 25K rifle and did a butcher job……to bad you couldn’t talk them into a restoration.
I do like iron mountings, a lot more work, but the contrast is more subtle than brass mounts. I made 10 rifles now, and the Lancaster currently in process may be the last brass mount! I make what sells, but soon hope to please myself, and keep one or two!
My “wall hanger” is a cherry stocked cap SMR w/GM 32cal bbl, 40″ and all iron from Tip Curtis…..and, someday I may even shoot it 🙂
I enjoy planning and building, time in my shop with my cat is quiet time, and when done, I enjoy seeing a piece of Americana that will be gone when everyone is buying EVERYTHING from china.
Marc in tenn