Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders My own plains rifle

While we're talking them newfangled nipple guns rather that those that require only a small rock, here's my own latest acquisition.

A genuine piece of Americana given that its a Hatfield. Hatfield was a pioneering 1970's company in the post-Jeremiah Johnson era, but apparently went through a number of iterations before its eventual demise, the best Hatfields being excellent with domestic components, others not so much.

Here's the rifle, whoever applied the tacks knew the value of understatement...







Ted Hatfield apparently used the same stock profile on his longrifles and his plains rifles. Tho' they are said to kick like a mule on .54 cal., it does make for a graceful-looking rifle.

Birdwatcher

Absolutely no marks visible anywhere on the gun except for "HATFIELD" on the lock and "54" on the barrel, both of which are visible in this shot...



If this is a late-production Hatfield by that time he was bringing in components from Italy, however one gentleman on another site was of the opinion that this lock was a Siler, I would assume when Siler was still making 'em rather than Davis...



And here's a feature I ain't seen before; a brass plate under the lock...



Birdwatcher

Very cool!

Thanks...

The barrel is a puzzle, no proof or maker's marks visible at all other than that 54 on the side. Dunno where the breech plug came from...





I was hoping the profile of the rifling might lend a clue as to origin but so far no such luck. Maybe someone here could lend insight.





Whatever it is its a nice rifle for the reasonable price I paid, appears to have been fired scarcely at all.

Birdwatcher

A piece of art. Hopefully it shoots as well as it looks.

Ya, been buried in muzzleloaders lately, relatively speaking, two new acquisitions inside of a month

Got a flint .50 cal poor boy longrifle I'm bringing out to the range for the first time today (pics to follow). In my limited experience it takes a while to make the acquaintance of a new longarm, could go through several ball/patch/powder iterations before we're done.

Might not get to wring out that plains rifle for a bit.

Birdwatcher

Beautiful wood and classic elegant lines, super find!

Indeed

So far I've found the same trigger group, breech plug and sights in a Track of the Wolf print catalog I have, same barrel wedges too if they ain't all identical.

Starting to think it may have domestic parts after all.

After the original Hatfield folded in the early 80's a short-lived outfit called the Missouri River Rifle Works, also in St Louis, continued the Hatfield line using Green River barrels and AFAIK domestic components.

Maybe this is one of theirs.

Birdwatcher

that gun is beautiful. And +1 on the tacks. Seen a few gaudy creations... less is more.

Love the wood.