Description

Offered for sale is this Antique 1st Model Military Baker Rifle, C 1802, of Carbine Bore of 0.625 inches.. With a 30-1/4 inch round barrel, in excellent condition, with a back sight of standard pattern, 2 Ordnance marks, and a vg bore with seven rectangular grooves. The lockplate clearly stamped with “Crown/GR”,”Issue mark”, and “Tower”. The lock with a detented tumbler. There is a ring necked Cock, Frizzen and Hinged Strike Plate. The action to 1/2 and full lock is sound and strong. The one piece original walnut stock is in vg condition, to a fine grained patina, with no cracks or splits, and only minor dings of age and use. To the RHS of the shoulder stock is a brass Patch Box, with a hinged lid, and clearly stamped to the stock in front of it, is a “Board of Ordnance” mark,. There is standard brass work to the Trigger Guard, and Butt Cap, which is stamped “P.R.34”. There are 2 sling swivels correctly placed. The original Iron Ramrod, has the standard “Swell” near the muzzle end, and it also has an ordnance mark. This is retained by 2 standard brass Pipes. As this is a very early model, it would have had a bar on barrel for a bayonet. However, as the years progressed to 1815, it was found that this created numerous usage problems. Therefore, many rifles that survived to this point, were converted to a Socket Bayonet fitting ..and this is a vg example of this. To effect this, the fore aspect of the stock was reduced, a small locking stud added below the muzzle,, and the foresight moved back. This resulted in an o/a length of 45-1/4 inches.
Therefore, we have here a very fine example of a very early Baker Rifle, that probably saw Military service during the Napoleonic Wars, and, to extend it’s Military life, saw it’s conversion to improve the use of a superior bayonet.