doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Lawrence & Jennings Breech Loading Rifle

Some of you may have seen my thread in the shotgun forum:
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=490078#Post490078

Along with the barrels, I acquired the remains of a Lawrence and Jennings rifle.

I'll get pictures added shortly.

I have the barrel, 'magazine tube' and the receiver. Any value, or an interesting wall hanger?

If only it was as complete as this one: https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail...ng-rifle#detail

Looks like it's had a tough life, but if you have the skills to make the stocks and missing parts, I think it's worth saving.

I like old guns, but not quite this old.
Rather get it off to someone who will appreciate it.

Relic~~rusty one at that,,,
I've got a dug-up Trapdoor breechblock I'm not going to try and make a rifle out of.

You don't say?

Clear you were trying for sarcasm, but even if minimal, I am sure the value of this relic is more than your breechblock.

Questions for you Steve.
1) How many Trapdoor breechblocks were manufactured?
2) How many Lawrence and Jennings rifles were made?
3) Other than bumping this, do you have a useful comment?

I think that there are not only collectors who would be interested in this type of gun, but also those who enjoy saving historic guns, and aren't afraid of work. Not everyone can afford one in extremely nice condition, so for every crusty gun, there's someone who wants to put out the effort to save it, and enjoy the process.
As you say, it's much more complete than a Trapdoor breechblock, and much more valuable too. Worth saving to some folks. Not what I collect, but in the guns I do collect, I've saved some less complete, and in pretty tough shape when I started. It just depends on the price, and the investment of time and money. Plus how much the owner can do himself.
I think it's more a candidate for a "sympathetic restoration" than a full restoration. Just getting it running, and stocked again so it can be fired.
I gave $250 for the #4 Perfection (bottom gun in this picture) and couldn't save anything but the action and buttplate. I think I ended up close to $1000 total when I finished restoring it, but felt it was better to restore it, than to part it out, since it was such an unusual configuration.





That's a first year Marlin Ballard, built up at Marlin from Brown Mfg. leftover parts. The rare pinned lever, and pin in the frame that Brown used, but Marlin's automatic extractor, and a rare 34" half octagon .45-70 barrel.

Easy big fella, you are a might sensitive~~

It's your relic and you can do whatever you want with it.
As for value? Nothing to me, not saying there aren't folks that might want to buy it, but no offers so far.

I've got a few in the corners of my shop that you might be interested in....Should I troll them here?
There is a guy that displays an extensive rusty & relic rifle collection, I'll bet he'd be interested?
Be careful about removing any more rust.

As for the value of this post?
Are they supposed to have value?
Most are just random comments.

Where did I ask for an offer? I asked for information. I didn't know this company or rifle existed until yesterday.

If this is trolling, what should we call the drunken rants you used to post?
Don't dive into threads you have nothing to offer, okay?

Just my guess,,but the relic piece in question is(was) a single shot percussion rifle built of left over Jennings & Lawrence Repeater Rifle parts.
The J&L Repeater used a 'volcanic ball' (hollow based bullet with BP propellent in the base). It also used a auto drop pellet primer feed mechanism,,that's what was in that large round opening on top of the frame.
The repeating rifle's percussion hammer had a very long thin tapered nose extending from the normal percussion looking hammer head that reached down through a hole in the top of the frame to reach the pellet primer when locked into the breech to fire the rifle.

That hole where the J&L Repeater hammer nose used to enter the frame is now where a common percussion nipple is seated.
This all points to a conversion (or perhaps a factory build of left over parts?) of a standard muzzle loader rifle on the J&L frame. Nothing to waste.

Quite often J&L rifles seen in collections,,and there aren't many,,are conversions to muzzle loaders. Simply making use of what they had. Useful items where the originals would not be w/o the original ammunition & the pill primers being available. Plus the orig ammo was not at all powerful.


Just some thoughts.