An odd flintlock smoothbore muzzleloader | Hans Jacob Honaker Attributed American Longrifle | RIA

This muzzleloader has been featured in books and magazines since it's contemporary discovery in the 1900s. From Shumway to Gusler, writers and historians have noted this flintlock smoothbore's interesting design elements as a step away from the norm for late 18th century muzzleloader building.

While the design changes aren't totally foreign to longrifle architecture, they are still a bit "peculiar".

Watch the video today to learn more about this interesting slice of muzzleloading history.

From the Rock Island Auction Company: This long rifle styled smoothbore hunting gun or "smooth rifle" is documented in Shumway's "Rifles of Colonial America Vol. II" as no. 145 on pages 610 and 616. It is described as an important and "unusual piece."

He notes, "I believe that this gun was made by the same hand that made the Brass Barreled Rifle, No. 103, and that makes each of them all the more worthwhile to study." Shumway further notes: "The decoration and architecture of this gun are outstanding and unusual.

The cheek-piece is long, with a wedge-shaped edge decorated with incised lines and carving. At the rear end of the cheek-piece is a step, similar to that present on rifle No. 103. Between the step and the butt-plate is a relief-carved design in the shape of a flower-pot with flowers. Surrounding the barrel tang is a beaver-tail design in relief, and at the end of this is a fan with a distinctive edge treatment.

This gun is an example of colonial American creativity in design, done most likely in the third quarter of the 18th century. By the 1790's there were established trends in rifle architecture and decoration which would have made this piece appear out of fashion." He also notes that he believes the gun is of Southern origin, that the lock is typical of the English locks imported in 1740-1775, and that the sideplate is an old replacement. The included display board states it is "attributed by Wallace Gusler" to "Hans Jacob Honaker, Frederick County, VA." and dates it to circa 1770.