Original Item: Only One Available. This is an exceptionally scarce mid-19th century American seven-shot percussion cylinder rifle, built in the style of the early Miller Patent revolving rifles most commonly associated today with Rochester gunmaker William Billinghurst. The firearm is completely unmarked, so we cannot definitively identify the maker, but its construction, manually advanced cylinder, half-stock configuration, and overall form are consistent with the family of rifles developed from the Miller system. This example is particularly interesting because it survives as a .42 caliber, seven-shot percussion rifle with a functional cylinder locking mechanism, period patchbox, and an extensively used but still clearly rifled bore.

The basic revolving cylinder system originated with James Miller, or Millar, who received a U.S. patent in 1829, making the design one of the earliest American revolving firearm systems. By the mid-1830s, James and John Miller were involved in producing and licensing rifles based on the design, while a number of other gunmakers subsequently manufactured their own versions.

William Billinghurst of Rochester, New York became the best known and most prolific maker associated with the system, to the point that collectors often refer broadly to this family of firearms as Billinghurst rifles, even when another maker was responsible for an individual example.

Unlike later mechanically indexing revolvers, the Miller system required the shooter to manually rotate the cylinder. A locking catch or tab secured the selected chamber in alignment with the barrel before firing.

This example retains that arrangement. The seven-shot cylinder rotates easily, and the tab-operated locking mechanism on the underside remains fully functional.

The rifle is fitted with a rear-action percussion lock.

The lock remains mechanically functional, holding securely at half cock and releasing correctly from full cock.

The hammer has suffered noticeable damage at its nose from repeated strikes against the percussion nipples during its service life.

Six of the original seven percussion nipples remain present, though all show considerable wear.

The cylinder itself is a seven-shot pattern and appears to have been used extensively.

We measured the chamber mouths at approximately .43 caliber, while the bore measures approximately .42 caliber. The slight difference is consistent with the need to accommodate the projectile and wadding within the chambers.

The barrel measures 25 inches and retains eight-groove rifling.

The rifling is still clearly visible but shows considerable wear, suggesting the rifle saw substantial actual use.

The firearm measures approximately 47 1/2 inches overall.

The half-stock configuration is particularly attractive, with a traditional American sporting rifle profile rather than the military appearance later associated with many repeating arms.

The rifle is entirely unmarked.

Its exact maker therefore remains uncertain.

The architecture bears some resemblance to Miller-type rifles attributed to Patrick Smith of Buffalo, New York, particularly in the form of the patchbox and trigger guard. Patrick Smith is documented among the gunmakers associated with production of rifles using the Miller system, but there is not enough evidence on this firearm to attribute it to him with confidence.

For that reason, we are describing this as a Miller Patent / Billinghurst Style cylinder rifle rather than assigning it to a specific maker.

These rifles were an ingenious solution to one of the great limitations of early 19th century firearms: the need to reload after every shot.

Before reliable lever-action and cartridge repeating rifles became practical, the revolving cylinder offered a shooter multiple loaded chambers ready for use.

Compared with a conventional muzzleloading rifle, that provided a tremendous increase in available firepower, particularly for hunting and frontier use.

The system did have limitations.

The cylinder still had to be rotated manually between shots, and early examples often relied on pill-lock ignition before later percussion cap versions became more common.

By the 1850s and 1860s, more sophisticated revolving and repeating firearm systems had overtaken the Miller design.

That relatively brief period of usefulness is one reason original examples are so difficult to find today.

The condition of this rifle strongly reflects a long working life.

The metal surfaces have developed an attractive aged patina throughout.

The hammer shows substantial wear and impact damage.

The nipples are heavily worn, with one missing entirely.

The bore retains recognizable eight-groove rifling but shows considerable wear from use.

Despite that, the lock functions correctly, the cylinder rotates easily, and the cylinder locking mechanism remains operational.

For the advanced collector, this is a fascinating example of the experimental period between the traditional muzzleloading rifle and the mechanically indexed repeating firearms that would dominate later in the century. Its seven-shot cylinder, manually operated locking system, .42 caliber eight-groove barrel, rear-action percussion lock, half-stock form, and unmistakable Miller/Billinghurst lineage make it a particularly interesting piece of early American firearms development.

It would make an excellent addition to an early American repeating firearm, Miller Patent, Billinghurst, percussion rifle, frontier arms, or advanced antebellum firearms collection.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1850
Caliber: .42cal - 8 groove rifling
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 25 inches
Overall Length: 47 1/2 inches
Action: Rear Action Percussion with Manually Advanced Cylinder
Feed System: 7 Shot Cylinder

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.