Wallis & Wallis
Lot 92
A rare .65” 1776 type Volunteer military flintlock rifle, by Morris (Birmingham) c 1800, 44” overall, octagonal twist barrel 28”, with 8 groove rifling, false breech, Tower private proofs, 2 folding leaf rearsights, dove tailed brass fore sight, and screw holes on each side of the muzzle to take screws for the rammer swivels (now missing), the breech tang engraved with Rifle Brigade or Light Infantry strung bugle; flat stepped lock having swan neck cock, semi rainproof pan, and roller on the frizzen spring, the cock and plate having single line border, the latter engraved with large crown over “GR” and signed “Morris” (Henry Morris of Birmingham, later made Baker rifles for the Ordnance); walnut fullstock with iron fore end cap and brass mounts, comprising three ramrod pipes, the top two with rammer retaining spring between them, scroll trigger guard, flat Land Pattern sideplate, butt plate and hinged Baker type butt trap cover, trigger guard and fore end pierced to take sling swivels (now missing); steel ramrod pierced at its upper end and slotted at the lower end. Good Working Order and Condition(the barrel has been lightly pitted and cleaned). Plate 35 Note: “British Military Flintlock Rifles 1740-1840” by De Witt Bailey, Chapter 2 for a description of the 1776 Pattern rifle, and pages 195-196 for an identical rifle, also describing its extensive use in the American War of Independence and listing those Regiments which used it.
