My uncle bought this years ago, and my cousin now has it and is trying to get info on it. Appears to be 50 cal or close. Original or replica? I told em I have no idea about such beasts, but know people who do. What say you?

Is there a name on the top of the barrel?

Yes......not sure how legible this will be.......in person you can read it....in the right light.

Yeah, I can't make it out with the reflection.

Any idea what it says?

No, but I can find out. Even in person it was barely legible. Cousin took it home so don't have it here to examine.

Sounds good. Maybe do a pencil rubbing of it if they can't read it.

Also, if there is a cap box on the stock, a picture of it might help.

Cousin says B. T. Addleman

I don't remember seeing a cap box. It does have the tamping rod. Very heavy barrel.

It's an original half stock rifle typical of midwest . similar rifles were produced in all the states that made up the Northwest Territory. Time frame - circa 1850- 1870. There's bound to be info on the named maker.

Certain features of the lock don't look correct for a lock produced in the 1800's. The lettering and designs look stamped vs etched. The lock may not be original to the rifle. It doesn't appear to fit particularly well in the inletting and lock replacements were common on original pieces. The general appearance of the rifle says "reproduction" to me, but that's just an opinion.

Lots of imported locks were stamped. The wood looks a touch rough, it moves a lot with age, so the "poor" inletting may be attributed to that.

I'd agree with coonlove.

I'll do some digging to see if the name on the barrel helps out at all.

The name on the barrel comes up as born in 1827 and a gunsmith in Richmond Indiana. Richmond is just into the state near the Ohio border and would have been settled soon after the treaty of Greenville. I stand by my time frame.

Good work. That rifle has that Indiana look to it.

Do you think that is an English lock imported by the name (company) stamped on the plate?

Looks like a Golcher lock to me. If this guy bought enough, he could have anything he wanted stamped on them.
The word "warranted" is frequently seen on these. Somehow that reassured potential buyers.

Great research. I couldn't find anything on the lock or maker's name. Seems to be in decent shape for an original.

So next question I'm gonna be asked......is what is ballpark value for something like that?

It was worth one stack of beaver pelts as high as the barrel is long in the 1800's.
With today's beaver prices, i'd say that would be a fair trade today.