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CA 1785 JOHN MANTON SINGLE FLINTLOCK RIFLE EX. W.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
CA 1785 JOHN MANTON SINGLE FLINTLOCK RIFLE EX. W.

KEITH NEAL COLLECTION. Cal. 60, 5 groove special Manton rifling. S# NSN. The 28" swamped octagon barrel with under rib is fitted with single standing leaf "V" notch rear and steel bead front sights. Barrel is fitted with simple breech plug and has gold touch hole, broad gold band at rear and oval gold poincon marked "LONDON" in Manton's earliest type. Bottom flat is stamped with London gunmaker's proofs. On these early guns and rifles no S# is found, the earliest recorded John Manton number is 815 (CA 1789). Breech iron is engraved with arms, scroll and a bird. Flint lock of Manton's earliest style having rebated plate and file decoration behind fence; also features gold lined semi waterproof pan, bridled roller frizzen and feather spring with bulbous finial. Serpentine cock with incurved comb is fitted with backsliding safety that bolts both cock and frizzen. Lock is filed with ovolo moulding around plate and cock in "Best" late 18th century style. Center of lock plate is engraved "-MANTON-". Internal inspection reveals swiveled main spring and file decorated bridle. Early type broad trigger is "set". Walnut stock with very low comb is iron mounted, trigger plate has early style broad pineapple finial. Double beaded trigger guard has curl at rear forming grip, and buttplate has dog and bird engraving on top tang. Right side of stock is fitted with very rare pivoting steel patchbox cover engraved with flags and arms within feather borders. Patchbox contains some round balls and a note which reads "This rifle shoots dead on" "at 30 yards with 3/4 drams""fine powder-ball wrapped""in thick calico patch". "W. K. Neal 28/7/1951" and also retains an original W. Keith Neal Collection tag number "G275". Stock features long swept shadowline cheekpiece and early type coarse checkering with intentional over runs. Stock has horn forend tip and attaches to barrel with two captive sidebolts through oval steel escutcheons. What appears to be original greenheart ramrod with horn tip and steel tail, mounts through two beaded pipes and matching thimble. CONDITION: very good. Barrel retaining perhaps as much as 60% original brown, lock has traces of original case hardening color. Traces of original blue remain on trigger guard and patchbox cover. Stock retains most of its original finish showing moderate wear with a good number of marks and scratches. Bore is fine with some light pitting toward muzzle, lock is crisp, retaining button for patchbox is missing. (01-21889/MGM). ANTIQUE. $6,000-12,000.