Original Item: Only One Available. Just purchased at a recent military auction! This is a very nice U.S. Civil War era octagonal barreled very substantial percussion target rifle, typical of those used by early Yankee / Union sharpshooters during the conflict. It is in one of the standard calibers we usually see these in, .38", and has a very heavy 30-inch octagonal barrel with five groove rifling. These were intended for target shooting, or sometimes hunting, fired from a prone position. The heavy weight reduced recoil significantly, while also increasing accuracy, definitely important when the overall length is only 46 1/2 inches, a bit shorter than most long guns of the time. The front 5/16" of the barrel is turned down round, almost certainly so that it can be fitted with a "Bullet Starter", designed to carefully press the lead ball / bullet into the muzzle of the barrel, minimizing wear to the rifling.

There are no markings on the lock plate, which does show some lovely "bank note" engraving in a few areas, and it looks to be locally made. The top of the barrel is however maker marked:-

H. PIERCE    LIVERPOOL

O H I O

H. Pierce is a known gunmaker from Liverpool, Ohio, today known as "East Liverpool". Located just over the border from Pennsylvania on the northern shore of the Ohio River, this was a relatively busy area during the 19th Century. At the time the Ohio River was one of the main means of transportation, and the gun-making trade spread along its banks, as the river also provided power for machinery. We have seen several other makers from this town.

As with most target and sharpshooter rifles, this example is fitted with a "set trigger", though in this case it is a loop-shaped 'single' type. The trigger is "set" by pushing it forward, after which the hammer can be moved to the half and fully cocked positions. It will then fire when the trigger is just touched lightly, which discharges the weapon, hopefully with great accuracy.

The rifle is in overall very good condition, with wear commensurate with age and service. It is mostly brass mounted, with some nickel silver adornments in places, and has a lovely patch box on the right side of the stock. Due to the very heavy weight and size of the barrel compared to the stock, damage is common, and this example has a substantial 6 1/2" x 1/4" chunk missing on the left side woodline, which is part of a crack that extends back to a silver plate on the side of the stock. We can also see a past repair running through the wrist, which was expertly repaired long ago, again very common with such a massive barrel. The stock still has a lovely red brown color, and the old American Black Walnut really glows. The bore is in very good condition and still shows the five groove rifling well, with some past fouling and oxidation in the grooves. There is a simple wooden cleaning rod installed, which is just for display.

This fine rifle has a good chance of being one of many pressed into service in the early part of the Civil War by the Union. A very fine example by a famous maker in very collectable condition.

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1855
Caliber: approx .38" five groove rifling
Cartridge Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 30 Inches
Overall Length: 46 1/2 Inches
Action type: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading

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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.

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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.