A very handsome heavy barreled percussion target rifle with double set triggers and steel mounts, circa 1860. It is half-stock, with a massive octagonal barrel, marked “Schumacher. Union H.B.” This is Charles Schumacher, of Arcata, California, who operated between 1856 and 1863, according to Mr. Shelton, from whose collection the gun and information came. . The rifle is .52 caliber. The lock is completely plain, with neither name nor decoration. The bolster to the vent is an unusual arrangement, clearly having been added to the barrel, rather than being integral. The stock has nice checkering at the wrist. There is a heavy iron rib below the massive octagonal barrel, The ramrod has a brass tip, and a hole in it about 6 inches below the tip that was clearly intentional. There is a hole in the tang for mounting an additional sight.
Schumacher does not appear in Mr. Shelton’s book, California Gunsmiths, and this gun was clearly a discovery made after the publication of his book. Additionally, Mr. Shelton lists no other Arcata makers, so it must be assumed that this gun is an exceptional rarity. Dimensions: 47.5 inches long overall, with a 31.5 inch barrel. Processing and shipping within the continental U.S. $70.00 plus 1.5% replacement cost insurance.
Condition
Overall, the gun is in very good condition. There is a large sliver of wood missing from in front of the bolster. A sight has been moved on the barrel. The barrel is blued, and retains most of its finish. The lock is dark, and may have been case hardened.