Need help with identification

[allaroundhunter]

Hey guys, been here on THR for awhile, but the black powder forum is completely new to me. I recently, however, inherited a couple black powder guns and I need some help. I have no idea what these are, and I have no idea what they are worth. To be honest, not only do I not know how to load them, I don't know what to load them with

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Berkley]

Looks like you have a Model 1843 Hall-North breech-Loading percussion carbine.

Probably worth more to a collector if you don't try to shoot it.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Looks like you have a Model 1843 Hall-North breech-Loading percussion carbine.

Probably worth more to a collector if you don't try to shoot it.

What do you think one would be worth without the ramrod? (If that is even the correct term)

 

[Berkley]

Beyond the missing ramrod, the major factor in determining value would be the overall condition of the gun. I can't begin to judge that from the photo.
Here's a link to one, with a ramrod, that sold. There are good pictures you can compare the condition of your gun to. LINK

 

[allaroundhunter]

I will try to get a couple better pictures up, especially of areas that are worn. I guess the good news is that I don't see any rust, but there is a petina (sp) to it. Not sure if that is bad, but I don't think it is as bad as rust.

 

[Berkley]

A genuine patina of age is to be expected in a military weapon that is more than a century and a half old. Don't try to clean it up to look new, or you can seriously lower its value to a collector.
Here's a link to another one for comparison. LINK

 

[allaroundhunter]

I won't be doing anything to try to clean it up. Will mine not be as valuable if it was not part of the 'scandal' that took place with these weapons? And how would I know if my weapon was in that group?

 

[Berkley]

The "scandal" guns were rifled, the non-scandalous ones were smoothbores.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Well that's kind of a bummer, mine does not have a rifled barrel.