RARE**PERIOD CUSTOM MADE**C1820 English Form I. Welch .750 Musket Calibre Top Of Barrel Breech Loading Flintlock Sporting Rifle With Damascus Barrel, Turn Off Loading Port Plug / Rear Sight, German Silver Fittings & Iron Ram Rod. Sn 21244 Single Shot .750 Rifles

**RARE**PERIOD CUSTOM MADE**C1820 English Form I. Welch .750 Musket Calibre Top Of Barrel Breech Loading Flintlock Sporting Rifle With Damascus Barrel, Turn Off Loading Port Plug / Rear Sight, German Silver Fittings & Iron Ram Rod. Sn 21244 - 21244

This is an unusual C1820 English form, period custom made, breech loading flintlock sporting rifle. It has a 34 ¾” round Damascus steel barrel & measures 52” overall. The barrel’s rifled bore has just light staining consistent with age and use & well defined rifling. The top of the barrel forward of the action has a threaded port for loading which is achieved by unscrewing the threaded steel plug, the wings of which double as a rear sight when screwed into the loading port. The barrel has a blade foresight with polished horn insert which provides higher visibility. It has all original walnut stock which has just light bumps and bruises to be expected with age and use. The stock chequered grip panels at the wrist. It has German silver butt plate with extended tang, trigger guard with extended tang & Pineapple finial, ram rod flutes fitted with iron ram rod & steel cock. The steel lock plate is signed by the maker ‘I Welch’ (there were several gunmakers name Welch working in both London & the Provinces during the flintlock / percussion era, we cannot find any with initial ‘I’). It has a set trigger (rear trigger is pulled when cocking, setting the front hair trigger which is pulled to fire the rifle). It’s cocking and firing actions work crisply. The price for this rifle which would have been an expensive purchase in the period and worthy of further research includes UK delivery. NB As an antique flintlock rifle no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of collection or display. Sn 21244

£4,950.00