Caucasian Rifle - Restored

BANDOOK · 11th May 2015, 07:08 AM

AMAZING RESTORATION,GOOD SKILLS

Kubur · 11th May 2015, 09:17 AM

Absolutely beautiful, I love the green walrus ivory.
One comment (just my own opinion):the ring and the barrel bands look "too fresh", you don't want to give them an old patina?

David R · 11th May 2015, 09:57 AM

Very nice indeed.

rickystl · 16th May 2015, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David R

Very nice indeed.

Thanks David. This one took a lot of work to complete. These long guns are usually hard to come by. More so than the pistols. There are typically a couple for sale at the Baltimore Show each year, but expensive. So I am lucky to have found this one at a reasonable price for restoration.
Just for fun, here is a pic of the gun shown with both original and replica accessories. LOL. And a couple more pics. Thanks again for looking. Rick.

Norman McCormick · 16th May 2015, 06:42 PM

Hi Rick,
Nice restoration as usual. I'm not sure about the sling rings. I thought the leather sling was attached as per this photograph of my rifle. I did research this method of attachment as my rifle came with the sling in situ and I wasn't sure if it was correct but my findings did reinforce that this was in actual fact the correct method but of course that's not to say that the rings are historically incorrect. Re the barrel bands, mine are brass if I remember correctly, stuff been in storage for the past year and a bit. Electroplating copper sheet with silver for your barrel bands would have been a bit cheaper than sterling silver but that's just my Caledonian thrift. Again a real nice display.

My Regards,
Norman.

Kubur · 17th May 2015, 10:42 AM

Hi Rick,
It seems that I have the little brother...
Best,
Kubur

rickystl · 18th May 2015, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi Rick,
Nice restoration as usual. I'm not sure about the sling rings. I thought the leather sling was attached as per this photograph of my rifle. I did research this method of attachment as my rifle came with the sling in situ and I wasn't sure if it was correct but my findings did reinforce that this was in actual fact the correct method but of course that's not to say that the rings are historically incorrect. Re the barrel bands, mine are brass if I remember correctly, stuff been in storage for the past year and a bit. Electroplating copper sheet with silver for your barrel bands would have been a bit cheaper than sterling silver but that's just my Caledonian thrift. Again a real nice display.

My Regards,
Norman.

Hi Norman.
OHHHH.....that's a beautiful rifle!!! And appears in really nice shape.
I'm sure you are right about the attachment of the leather sling. In fact, next time you have it out of storage, if you get a chance, would you take a couple more pics of how that leather was attached? I've never really known myself. But I'm not too bashful to try and take advantage of another collector's research. LOL. I can have a leather sling made and artificially aged, and attached the same way, if I knew how it's tied/knotted.
The sling ring assemblies are mostly something out of my imagination. LOL
however, I've seen a couple of Ottoman Tufuk Rifles with a similar attachment. They are easily removable by taking off the smaller ring on the other end. In fact, I can use them on my Ottoman rifle as well. The sling rings were just more of my experimentation and playing. LOL
Brass barrel bands. Every rifle and pistol I've seen had either iron or silver barrel bands. Doesn't mean brass was not used. I've just never seen any. I'm still being surprised all the time. Thanks for your post and the sling information. Most helpful. Rick.

rickystl · 18th May 2015, 01:14 AM

Hi Kubur.
That is a very nice pistol!! And looks like it still has all of it's leather covered stock. And BRASS barrel bands. Nice collector piece for sure.
The one I own in the background of the photo above, was restored to firing condition, and posted here on the Forum maybe 3+ years ago. What's unusual about that pistol is the stock is one piece of horn. Not wood/leather. Thanks for posting.
Rick.

Philip · 2nd October 2019, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickystl

The sling ring assemblies are mostly something out of my imagination. LOL
however, I've seen a couple of Ottoman Tufuk Rifles with a similar attachment.

Brass barrel bands. Every rifle and pistol I've seen had either iron or silver barrel bands. Doesn't mean brass was not used. I've just never seen any. I'm still being surprised all the time. Thanks for your post and the sling information. Most helpful. Rick.

Hey Rick, the ring attachment is not so imaginary. I've seen these fairly frequently on some types of Balkan guns as well -- you have quite a few of those and have no doubt encountered them.

I agree with you on barrel bands, in regards to the Caucasus (and by the way, also Iran since there was quite a bit of overlap in firearms design). Quite a wide use of silver even on guns without a great deal of deco otherwise. The niello bands on the best pieces is a really nice touch.

For some reason brass was more freely used in the Ottoman area, especially the Balkans, on pieces of mid-range quality.

Philip · 1st October 2019, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi Rick,
Nice restoration as usual. I'm not sure about the sling rings. I thought the leather sling was attached as per this photograph of my rifle. I did research this method of attachment as my rifle came with the sling in situ and I wasn't sure if it was correct but my findings did reinforce that this was in actual fact the correct method but of course that's not to say that the rings are historically incorrect. Re the barrel bands, mine are brass if I remember correctly, stuff been in storage for the past year and a bit. Electroplating copper sheet with silver for your barrel bands would have been a bit cheaper than sterling silver but that's just my Caledonian thrift. Again a real nice display.

My Regards,
Norman.

Norman, the leather is correct. As an historical aside, the Russians became so enamored of this method of attaching a sling that they adopted it on their Model 1891 Mosin-Nagant rifles and carbines, and it remained in use as long as the rifle was current-issue which is until the end of World War II. Other nations which adopted the same lineup of rifles and made their own versions also kept the same sling system.

I've collected a number of Caucasian guns over the years, and have found that most of them have silver capucines. On some of the top grade guns, these sleeves were ornamented in niello just like the dagger and saber fittings.

Philip · 1st October 2019, 10:48 PM

Rick, excellent work on the stock. I especially like the ivory reconstruction, was great that your guy was able to secure walrus tusk in the appropriate dimensions.

rickystl · 16th May 2015, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubur

Absolutely beautiful, I love the green walrus ivory.
One comment (just my own opinion):the ring and the barrel bands look "too fresh", you don't want to give them an old patina?

Hi Kubur.
Yes, you're right. These pics were taken right after the gun was completed. The barrel bands are genuine sterling silver and will naturally age. Especially while just handling the gun while shooting with genuine black powder.
The sling rings will will get a treatment of cold bluing, then buffed back to a more desirable patina. I still have to make the sling. LOL.
Rick.

16th May 2015, 06:42 PM	#5
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,632	Hi Rick, Nice restoration as usual. I'm not sure about the sling rings. I thought the leather sling was attached as per this photograph of my rifle. I did research this method of attachment as my rifle came with the sling in situ and I wasn't sure if it was correct but my findings did reinforce that this was in actual fact the correct method but of course that's not to say that the rings are historically incorrect. Re the barrel bands, mine are brass if I remember correctly, stuff been in storage for the past year and a bit. Electroplating copper sheet with silver for your barrel bands would have been a bit cheaper than sterling silver but that's just my Caledonian thrift. Again a real nice display. My Regards, Norman. Attached Images

17th May 2015, 10:42 AM	#6
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Hi Rick, It seems that I have the little brother... Best, Kubur Attached Images

11th May 2015, 07:08 AM	#1
BANDOOK Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: AUCKLAND,NEW ZEALAND Posts: 627	AMAZING RESTORATION,GOOD SKILLS

11th May 2015, 09:17 AM	#2
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Absolutely beautiful, I love the green walrus ivory. One comment (just my own opinion):the ring and the barrel bands look "too fresh", you don't want to give them an old patina?

11th May 2015, 09:57 AM	#3
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,123	Very nice indeed.

18th May 2015, 01:14 AM	#8
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,633	Hi Kubur. That is a very nice pistol!! And looks like it still has all of it's leather covered stock. And BRASS barrel bands. Nice collector piece for sure. The one I own in the background of the photo above, was restored to firing condition, and posted here on the Forum maybe 3+ years ago. What's unusual about that pistol is the stock is one piece of horn. Not wood/leather. Thanks for posting. Rick.

1st October 2019, 10:48 PM	#11
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Rick, excellent work on the stock. I especially like the ivory reconstruction, was great that your guy was able to secure walrus tusk in the appropriate dimensions.