Guns International #: 101615278
Seller's Inventory #: 201316

Category - Harpers Ferry Rifles - Antique Rifles - 1500-1850

Category
Harpers Ferry Rifles
Antique Rifles - 1500-1850

USS VINCENNES 1834 US HARPERS FERRY ARMORY Hall Model 1819 FLINTLOCK Rifle Inscribed with the Name of Famous Sloop of War!

Description:
USS VINCENNES 1834 US HARPERS FERRY ARMORY Hall Model 1819 FLINTLOCK Rifle

Inscribed with the Name of Famous Sloop of War!

Here we present an antique U.S. Harpers Ferry Hall Breech-Loading Model 1819 Rifle, inscribed with the famous Sloop of War’s name: USS Vincennes, manufactured in 1834 in Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

The USS Vincennes was a Boston class sloop-of-war that was one of 10 authorized to be built by Congress in 1825. She was named for Fort Vincennes in what would become the state of Indiana. During the American Revolutionary War, the fort was considered on the frontier, yet still fought over and captured by American militia (1779). The USS Vincennes was built in New York and laid down in 1826. She had a history and list of accomplishments too long to note here, but it is very well documented and worth reading in full. The highlights are: 1) being the first American naval vessel to circumnavigate the globe (1830); 2) patrolled and protected trade routes against pirates (several tours 1826-1829); 3) explored Antarctica with civilian scientists (1840); 4) exploration of the South Pacific; 5) sailed to Japan and made initial contact (1846) to try to open the insular island nation to trade prior to Commodore Perry’s more forceful entry (1853)—as it was, the ship was surrounded and no one was permitted to come ashore; 6) surveyed the North Pacific, China Seas, and Bering Strait (1855); 7) having circumnavigated the globe a total of 3 times (1830, 1836, 1857), the Vincennes was put on patrol of the African coast in 1857 to suppress the slave trade; 8) patrolled the Gulf Coast during the American Civil War for blockade runners (1861-1865). She was decommissioned for the last time in 1865 and was sold out of the US Fleet at Boston in 1867.

The inscription to the vessel is in large script and located on the flat on the underside of the butt stock. This rifle certainly could have been one of the small arms aboard the ship early in its career. These rifles continued to see use even through the American Civil War. It was ahead of its time as a breech-loading and rifled long arm in a day when muzzle-loading smoothbores were the rule. John Hall was the designer and Harpers Ferry Armory the maker. It could be loaded far more quickly than a muzzleloader by popping up the breech block and inserting a prepared paper cartridge, which would have been handy for a relatively small crew on a ship like the Vincennes.
Though this one is its original flintlock state, many of these Model 1819 muskets saw conversion to percussion in the lead into the Civil War, becoming the Model 1841 Hall Rifle. In total, 23,500 Model 1819 Hall Rifles were produced.

The action is mechanically strong. The iron surfaces are lightly pitted throughout, possibly by the salty environs of the ocean. The bore is dimmed but good rifling remains. This example sports a solid stock. The leather sling is very old and has a tear in the rear loop but is in good condition overall. A fitting bayonet is included. This is a great set and at the very least a fantastic commemoration of a storied US Navy vessel. It might even have been there for the action!

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 32-5/8 inches.

Caliber: .52 Flintlock

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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ancestryguns

$4635

#201316
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes