This lovely early Virginia flint lock longrifle was built by gunmaker Robert Faddis. This rifle features a .54 caliber swamped Rice barrel. Trimmed in brass furniture, the rifle is stocked in curly maple with both raised and incised carving. The gun has only a few marks on the frizzen from testing and the bore is mirror bright. Weighing in at 8.8 pounds, the rifle has a trigger reach of 13-3/4” making it perfectly well suited for today’s average to larger size shooters.
Forming the heart of the rifle is its .54 caliber Rice barrel. Measuring 42” in length, the swamped octagon barrel exterior has been polished and finished to a silvery-gray. The bore is cut rifled with seven round bottom grooves .016" deep, with 1 in 66" twist for a tightly patched round ball. Rice Muzzle Loading Rifle Barrels are set between centers and milled octagonal, insuring a centered bore, concentric with the exterior, with no "run-out". Each barrel is stress relieved in an atmosphere controlled electric furnace, to eliminate work hardening or barrel warp, and to dampen harmonic vibrations or barrel whip. After the rifling has been cut, each bore is "ball burnished". A carbide bore-sizing die is pulled through the barrel, to insure bore dimension uniformity, eliminating any tight or loose spots inside the barrel. This critical procedure leaves the top of the lands smooth and polished, equaling the traditional lead lapping procedure. Rice barrels are Match grade quality, with bench rest capability. Rice barrels do not require lapping or extensive shooting to break-in. The builder’s signature, R.J. Faddis, can be found on the top flat between the breech and the rear sight. A flat rear sight is dovetailed 10-1/2” forward of the breech, while a silver blade set in a brass base front sight is dovetailed 1-1/2" behind the muzzle. The sight base has been punched to help better secure it in the dovetail.
Stocked in a lovely piece of curly maple the wood has been finished to a warm brown tone, and raised and incised carving can be found on the gun. The transition of the comb to the wrist is highlighted with raised carving that sweeps down to terminate ahead of the patchbox. A detailed look at the patchbox shows the floral pattern engraving that has been shaded for contrast. The four piece box is secured with 7 small screws and is topped with a silver flower finial. A button can be seen in the comb extension of the buttplate, depression of this button allows the cover to pop open revealing the deep cavity below. Perfect for storing your extra shooting and cleaning accessories, a nice patchbox is a great addition to any longrifle.
Our top view of the rifle shows off the well defined tapered comb of the buttstock. Beginning at a point just behind and above the wrist, the comb immediately begins to flare out before coming to an end at the heel. In this location it is covered by a brass comb extension of the buttplate. Finished with multiple flats the comb extension mirrors the barrel ahead. A single screw can be seen holding the extension in place, behind this is the brass patchbox cover release button. Forward of the comb the wrist is decorated with a nice amount of raised carving. The carving swirls around the flared tang of the breech plug as it tapers forward to meet the barrel.
Looked at from below, no toeplate has been used on this rifle. Moving forward on the stock the brass triggerguard has been pinned in the front and uses a screw to retain the rear. Finished flats that are barely discernible, the triggerguard continues the octagon theme set by the barrel. No engraving is to be found on the guard, its lines and polished finish giving it all the character it needs. Out of the picture the wooden ramrod is held in position by three brass ramrod pipes. Each pipe is finished with octagon flats and has the same polished finish as the triggerguard. Around the skirt of the entry pipe the stock is decoratively finished with a flourish of raised carving. This carving transitions into a single line of incised molding that runs the length of the ramrod channel. The wooden ramrod is not fitted with any threaded tips to accept cleaning and loading accessories. We recommend our #RAMROD-C-44-10 to service this rifle. A brass muzzlecap protects the end grain of the stock.
Our backside view of the rifle shows off the large brass sideplate. Held in position by a pair of dome headed lock bolts, the plate has also been engraved in same styling as that found on the patchbox. To the rear the classic squared cheek of the rifle can be seen, highlighted by carving on either side. The decorative raised carving, is found both ahead and behind the cheek. Note the double lines of incised molding running across the face of the cheek, these lines are echoed below and forward by single incised lines running from toe to triggerguard and from above the ramrod entry pipe to the muzzlecap along the length of the ramrod channel.
Ignition for the rifle is provided by this Jim Chambers’ Virginia fowler flint lock. This quality round face lock dates from the 40 year period leading up to the American Revolution, about 1730 to 1770. Finished gray to match the barrel, the lock is properly tuned and has a powerful mainspring and well hardened frizzen; combined with our #Flint-Eng-7 hand knapped 7/8 inch English gun flints it is sure to throw a shower of sparks into the pan. The single trigger is pinned to provide a smooth release of the lock.
Further helping ignition along is a Jim Chambers’ White Lightnin’ touch hole liner. Concave inside, the White Lightnin' vent liner brings the main powder charge very close to the incandescent heat of the priming flash. Well positioned on the center of the pan, slightly above the pan to frizzen joint, sometimes called the "sunset" position. The vent hole is centered on the heat of the priming flash, for instant ignition, without the whoosh-bang delay, seen in many flint guns.
A beautiful piece, this early Virginia flint longrifle is perfect for the Colonial reenactor. The frizzen has only a few marks from test sparking, and the .54 caliber bore is mirror bright. It will be a joy to shoot at the range, or in the woods on your next big game hunt. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
