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The side-lock plate is brass and Marylandish with a curved bottom and sparing engraving. The
cheek-piece is typical of Maryland/Lancaster rifles. There is no other carved decoration
anywhere, which indicates production in the late first quarter of the 1800’s. You can see the
Hawken style long tang, which appears to barely fit an older short tang mortice. Look closely
and the earlier mortice marks stand out about a third of the way back on the long tang. The
Hawken stampings stand out in the rightward photo. Look how far forward the rear sight is, a
feature often seen on Eastern rifles of all schools.
The real questions are obvious. Who made it? When was it made? Where was it made? When
was it converted, if it was converted. Did the Hawken brothers make it or did they convert it
later, using their Hawken breech and long tang? I am sure that every reader will have an
opinion. I am going to hazard mine. You may agree with me, or not..
I very much doubt that a heavy rifle like this one was made in Maryland. By the 1820’s,
Maryland rifles, in common with Eastern rifles of most schools, were tending towards small
calibers. Big game had disappeared by then as had the threat of frontier war. Big and heavy
indicates manufacture in the West or at least for use in the West.. It was probably made in St.
Louis for the transcontinental trade.
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