Old original KY long riffle – requesting information

[Joe86]

My Dad died this past Sat at 102. One of his possessions was a Kentucky long rifle that my mother bought him from a pawn shop sometime in the early 1960’s. He took it somewhere in the 70’s and had it authenticated as original, but we have not been able to find the documentation.

In addition, since that time he took it out and shot it and it looks like never cleaned it based on the tarnish and oxidation on the barrel at the lockup whereas the rest of the barrel looks very clean to me.

The wood is all soldi with no cracks. It has the name Golcher on the side on the metal. I remember my name telling me this was supposed to have been on of the more notable makers.

My dad recently decided to polish with WD-40. A friend of mine who restore antique guitars tells me naphtha will clean that off, but I’m leaving that to a professional.

Any information about the weapon or a person I can take it too would be appreciated. I am in Maryville TN but willing to travel to have a knowledgeable person check it out.

My goal is to sell it.

Thank you very much.

More pictures available on request.

[MikeW]

Sorry to hear about your dad.

Not my area to be giving advice on, but as a collector of other rifles that have wood stocks (m1 Grands ,civil war muskets, etc)... I would leave the condition as is and let the next owner decide if they want to use other chemicals on the wood.  I definitely wouldn't try to remove the patina from the wood.   It looks like ti was converted from Flintlock to percussion cap at somepoint in time

If you do not get the information that you are looking for... I'd bring it to the civil war show in franklin, tn http://www.mkshows.com/  

It's the largest civil war show in the country and someone there should know about weapons from your rifles era.

a few results I found for Josh Golcher Kentucky long rifle muskets  https://www.gunauction.com/buy/6134398
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/josh-golcher-pa-flintlock-musket-or-fowler-23-c-80d7b8f896

https://worthingtongalleries.com/shop/memorabilia/american-civil-war-memorabilia/19th-century-half-stock-golcher-50-cal-kentucky-long-gun/

Very cool piece, it would be hard for me to let it get out of my family.  I hope you find a good home for it.

[Choatecav]

Mike W. gives good advice with the CW show in Franklin.  I go every year and it will have hundreds of dealers and folks in the know.  It takes place the first Sat and Sunday of December.

One other suggestion would be you could send these pictures via email to Muzzleloader magazine.  It is an excellent magazine and you might get some faster and better advice there.  Their website is www.muzzleloadermagazine.com

Best of luck.

[Joe86]

Thank you very much

[JN01]

It's a little ways off, but there will be the 44th Annual Tennessee Kentucky Rifle Show in Knoxville April 21-22.  Will be plenty of knowledgeable people there that you could show it to. 

44th Annual Tennessee Kentucky Rifle Show – Contemporary Longrifle Association

 

[Joe86]

Sorry it's taken a while to get back to you but I wanted to say thank you for the information. This looks like a great place to find out more about the rifle an which way to go with it.

Thank you very much for the information.

 

 

 

[S Maah]

That thing is in great shape

[S Maah]

Ever fired it?

[Joe86]

Fired a couple of times about 30 years ago. only time it was every fired except for test fired as far as I know. The trigger and block had something in it presumably from the maker so that it could not be fired.