Antique Underhammer Rifle

Antique Underhammer Rifle made in Cornish, New Hampshire by David Hilliard. Provenance: this rifle was made for a member of the Dana family, of Woodstock. Vermont, circa 1850. Prior to moving to Cornish, New Hampshire, Hilliard practiced as a gunsmith for Nicanor Kendall across the Connecticut River in Windsor, Vermont. The rifle was found in the historic Dana House, which is now the location of the Woodstock Historical Society. The gun, in addition to bearing the standard Hilliard identification imprint, is stamped Dana on the barrel. It is a small rifle, but not a coach gun. It was likely made for a small man, a young man, or perhaps a woman. The barrel is 22 3/16 inches long; length of pull is 13 1/4 inches. Overall length is 39 inches. The stock is dark cherry with iron patchbox and elongated oval silver inlay. The rifle is in original, excellent, beautiful condition with the typical but often missing peep tang sight (also has standard buckhorn sight) and nipple flash cup. It has its original ramrod with worm, its original cleaning rod, brass powder flask, bullet (ball) mold, patch cutter, shot pouch and Ely tin patch box It is in shooting condition, and very accurate. The caliber is .45. It comes in a fitted, grain-painted, violin-style case with hand-forged hinges and hasp. The label in the case reads: This rifle was in the corner of the Dana building in Woodstock, VT, at the time when my brother bought the property and started his law practice in 1934. I bought the rifle and another non-descript piece for five dollars. Later, I sold it to Ed Towne for ten dollars. Many years later I bought it back for seventy-five dollars. It is in original, excellent, shooting condition. I made the case for it in May 1984. Robert Bourdon Sr. Wolcott, VT. This is a fine, completely original underhammer rifle with accoutrements and historic provenance. A fair number of these Hilliard rifles exist, but very few are in this condition with original accessories. $ 1200.00 plus $ 38.00 shipping and handling