Nice rifle marked Diesinger Phila.

Found a nice rifle marked Diesinger Phila.

This antique trade rifle is stocked in maple and trimmed in brass furniture. The barrel is stamped Diesinger, Phila. on the top flat. The overall architecture and decoration of this rifle is very similar to the Indian Trade rifles produced by another Philadelphia gunmaker, Edward K. Tryon, circa 1840. Trade rifles were supplied to fur traders, Indian agents, merchants, as well as the U.S. Government. Trigger reach is 13", about average for a antique longrifle. Weight is 8.8 pounds.

The .36 caliber barrel is roughly 7/8" octagon with a overall length of 40-1/2". The .36 caliber has a dark bore rifled with a slow twist for a patched round ball. The top flat of the barrel is stamped Diesinger Phila. with additional snowflake decorations around the markings. The barrel has a filled dovetail 7-1/2" ahead of the breech. A flat top rear sight is dovetailed 11-1/2" ahead of the breech. A low brass blade front sight is fitted behind the muzzle.

The butt view shows the classic Trade Rifle architecture that carried over from the 1830's, In addition to being similar to E.K. Tryon trade rifles it is also very similar to the Lancaster Pattern Trade Rifles produced by J. J. Henry, and offered by the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. The patch box has a distinctive head finial that is very similar in design to Trade Rifles by E.K. Tryon. The push button release was likely hidden beneath the toe plate head, but appears to be frozen from wood shrinkage. The butt plate is correctly mounted with steel screws. The butt plate has the distinctive crescent shape common to the period.

The brass toe plate is shaped with a long tapered lobe. The toe plate is secured with a steel screw and a iron rivet mounted through the butt plate. The brass trigger guard has a well aged patina, with the areas that are frequently handled worn bright. The forend of the rifle is fitted with a brass muzzle cap. The ramrod pipes are shaped from sheet brass with raised rings on the ends for strength. Notice the square Kentucky rifle style cheek rest, rather than the oval cheek rest commonly found on other trade and plains rifle of this late flint period. The brass side plate is a classic early 19th century Trade Rifle sideplate found on many Trade Rifles made in Pennsylvania.

The percussion lock has a circa 1830 to 1840 era appearance with a rounded inside corner on the lock plate. The lock plate has speckled gray brown textured patina. The tail of the lock plate is stamped with a dog and bird scene. The lock plate is stamped by the lock maker HELWELL ~ WARRENTED. As with many percussion locks the tumbler has only a single notch, full cock. This simplified lock construction by eliminating the fly detent for use with set triggers. The single lever double set triggers will only fire the lock from the set position. Due to rear trigger backlash the triggers must be set before the lock can be brought to full cock.

A very nice example of a 19th century percussion Trade rifle.