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Item No.:	8431	Price :	$1,995.00
Item :	LANCASTER COUNTY, PA. SMOOTH RIFLE BY PETER GONTER

Description :

Here is an original, American Smooth Rifle built by Peter Gonter of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A "Smooth Rifle" is a smooth bore gun built with the features and stock furniture of a rifle. Gonter was an active builder of American Long Rifles from about 1770 until his death in 1818. He was quite prolific, building everything from high grade long rifles to the plainer styles used strictly for hunting. This gun has a 46" octagon to round barrel of about 54 caliber. Originally a flintlock, it has been converted to percussion with a drum and nipple and new hammer. The barrel is marked "P. GONTER" on the top flat. Gonter used purchased locks to build his guns and this one is marked "DREPERT". The barrel has a mottled smooth brown patina, with significant pitting around the drum bolster. The lock has a dark brown patina. The brass was cleaned in the past and has redeveloped a bronze patina. The lock works, but has no half cock position. The bore is dark and rusty. The stock is a very nice piece of highly figured curly maple. There is a large crack on the left side of the stock running from the barrel tang down through the side plate to the trigger guard. There are a couple of small hairline cracks along the barrel channel. There is a chunk of wood missing from the lock mortise at the back of the lock plate and some wood erosion from flash behind the hammer. A small thumb escutcheon below the tang is missing. This is a solid gun built by one of the better Lancaster County gunmakers. Stock no. 22016

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