Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: G0ALY on June 29, 2007, 06:07:05 PM
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Howdy all! Well it was another great week at the auctions. In addition to 6 unopened collectable Jim Beam bottles, (I have no problem drinking some dead guys whiskey) I found a new deer rifle.
It’s a 50-caliber flintlock. With a 39-inch barrel, and a much better than average piece of curly maple, I knew it was a nice gun. Although I had never heard of the gun maker, “Hatfield” (That is name stamped on the lock and barrel.) I bid on it and won.
The barrel is stamped in very small letters, “50 Cal. For Black Powder Only”. Other than that and the name “Hatfield” there are no proof marks, serial numbers or anything else.
When I got it home and looked up Hatfield flintlock rifles on the Internet, I was pleasantly surprised!
It seems the gun was made sometime around 1980 by Ted Hatfield. Ted started a small gun making business in St. Joseph, Missouri. The guns that he made were a close copy of guns made by his Great-Great Grandfather, Moses Hatfield… The Moses Hatfield of the famous “Hatfield and McCoy” feud.
Somewhere down the line, “Missouri River Rifle Works” bought out Ted Hatfield’s business and the rifles were no longer marked with his name. So it is an interesting early piece.
(http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/members/goalyeb/images/hatfield.JPG)
The rifle with the Hatfield at the bottom of the photo is an 1864 Springfield .58 cal Civil War musket. You can see the Hatfield is nearly as big!
If you see any McCoy deer… Tell them I’ll be in the woods waiting for them!
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very nice find.:aok
NOT
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LOL! I was in a panic! I read, “Very nice find… NOT!”
Until I realized your signature was “Not”.
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A little update,
I tried using the polarizing filter from my 35mm camera in front of the lens of our digital camera in order to get a better picture of the curly maple used on the stock. The pictures turned out pretty good if I don’t say so myself.
(http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/members/goalyeb/images/hatfield2.JPG)
I paid $350.00 for the gun (with a few extras) and thought I got a pretty good deal… After doing some more online research, it seems I got a GREAT deal!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=72181607
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=70575801
It makes me think a little about selling it, but then again, when would I ever have another chance to hunt with a gun like this?
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You know you may have just picked up an investment rather than a hunting rifle.
A couple things to consider. What is the twist on the barrel? If it's the 1 in 66 or slower I'd figure on it being anything but a hunter as it would limit you to round ball. You'll get better performance and range from a R.E.A.L. bullet. I know a .50 round ball is still heavy but it's not as ballistically good as a longer projectile. They do need a faster twist however.
If the gun is in very good to excellent condition I would be very hesitant to take it out and bang it up hunting. My hunting guns tend to accumulate lots of dings and scratches. I'd rather use a newer design smoke pole just for hunting and use the one you just got for fun shooting and bragging.
No matter what you decide, it's a very nice piece.
Was that an estate auction?
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Very very nice.
You must provide us with some nicer stylish photos with the requisite red velvet etc.
And somebody upload that bugs bunny kentucky rifle bit.
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Originally posted by G0ALY
A little update,
I tried using the polarizing filter from my 35mm camera in front of the lens of our digital camera in order to get a better picture of the curly maple used on the stock. The pictures turned out pretty good if I don’t say so myself.
(http://www.MyOnlineImages.com/members/goalyeb/images/hatfield2.JPG)
I paid $350.00 for the gun (with a few extras) and thought I got a pretty good deal… After doing some more online research, it seems I got a GREAT deal!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=72181607
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=70575801
It makes me think a little about selling it, but then again, when would I ever have another chance to hunt with a gun like this?
I hate you !
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Having seen it, besides' that being one pretty rifle...
I'd follow Mav's advice on this one. Firearms' that come from defunct makers, especially with the pedegree that Hatfield has, will grow in value.
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Hang it up. Shoot something else. That rifle is gorgeous!
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Originally posted by Maverick
Was that an estate auction?
Yes it was an estate auction. The weather was terrible, so there was not much of a crowd. In addition to the rifle, I picked up a circular saw and a few other little goodies.
I go to 2 or 3 auctions a week. The best auctions are the ones held at the house or farm. When an auction is held at the auctioneer’s business site, they only bring what they consider to be the best stuff from the estate. So most of the small items are left behind, and I am living proof that one mans trash is another mans treasure.
It’s not a bad hobby. I have found some very interesting things. Most of what I find I keep, but some of it ends up on ebay, and the hobby usually of pays for itself.
The Springfield rifle in the picture is a mixture of original and replica parts. It was owned by a reenactor. I bought it at his estate auction last year. I also picked up an M1 Garand at an estate auction.
As for the Hatfield, I will probably carry it into the woods at least once. (When the weather is good and the ground is dry.) I’ll be real careful... But I’ll have to do it. Otherwise it’s like owning a fancy 4-Wheel drive, and never taking it off the pavement.
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Originally posted by Suave
Very very nice.
You must provide us with some nicer stylish photos with the requisite red velvet etc.
And somebody upload that bugs bunny kentucky rifle bit.
Is this what you had in mind?
(http://www.filenanny.com/files/4690141cf359b3528/goaly.jpg)
My old file host went out off line… So here are the pictures of the rifel we are talking about:
(http://www.filenanny.com/files/4690141cf359b3528/hatfield.JPG)
(http://www.filenanny.com/files/4690141cf359b3528/hatfield2.JPG)
I took it completely apart for a real cleaning, still no serial number. Although the barrel and tang are stamped “47”. The buttplate is stamped “64” on the inside and the stock has “64” hand written where the buttplate meets it.
If anyone knows of a good free file host, I would be grateful to hear about it.