The patchbox on this rifle is a favorite with customers it seems. and I've used it a number of times. It's almost become a trademark.
The style of the rifle is typical of the 1780's in Lancaster, but the use of sterling silver mixed with the brass marks it as contemporary. The petals of the patchbox pinwheel are tipped in silver, the silver wrist inlay has brass designs at the top and bottom, the cheekpiece star alternates brass and silver at each point, and there's a sterling silver band at the breech.
The photos came out a little dark as far as the wood is concerned. Its darkly stained but not quite that much. Note the perfect grain, if you can, through the wrist and toe in the sugar maple stock. You can see a bit of cast off in the lower shot.
The patchbox release is a wide square steel stud in the toe plate.
The carving, on the cheekpiece side at least, is a takeoff of Isaac Haines, a Lancaster gunmaker of the period and one of the best guncarvers of the longrifle era.
The front sight is made from folding sterling silver sheet then brazing it into one piece and filing to shape. My tired eyes love a sterling sight. A little nick at the sharp rear edge helps me find it perfectly in the dark woods or when the light is in my eyes, and it can be darkened with brass black if that's your desire for some conditions. German silver doesn't cut it.
The barrel is a rice swamped 44" 50 cal. 1 1/16 in. at the breech.
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