Billinghurst .50 underhammer target rifle

[W. Brown]

Hi Chris,

The Billinghurst appears to be a very nice rifle. The patent muzzle has a circular recess used to center a round cloth precut patch for loading so it is almost certainly a picket rifle unless someone has recut the rifling for a slower twist. The rifle appears to be unfooled with so this is doubtful. Again, it is a very nice rifle.

Patrick Smith of Buffalo NY was a fine workman as well and though his name doesn't have the cachet of some of the other makers, I have seen several of his rifles and they were well made. George Mitchell had a Patrick Smith that shot pretty well.

The Resor outfit may be a round ball gun. The absence of moulds, swages and loading implements for a somewhat recently made rifle like this is a little suspect and H. Lloyd made roundball guns as well. The tools of course could have been mislaid or sold to someone else for use with another rifle.

Bill