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Winning Bid US $1706 First bid $250 Quantity 1 # of bids 41 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-05-07 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

RARE!! Harpers Ferry, Model: 1803 Rifle, Yorks rifles, George Hay marked. Cal.54, MFG: 1815, S/N: None, Flintlock, 33 1/4'' barrel.

HISTORY: The Harpers Ferry 1803 rifle was the first rifle (as opposed to smoothbore) made & adopted in the US. Just under 20,000 were made at Harpers ferry in two batches. The first from 1803-07 of 4000 rifles., & a second batch of 15,703 rifles from 1814-1819. This Rifle was inspected & condition by the famous Captain of the Yorks Rifle, George Hay. Georges father, John Hay, served in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, was the first sergeant of the York Volunteers. George would join the Military in 1825 at the age of 16 as a fifer. In 1833 he would become a 2nd lieutenant in the National Grays of York County. Finaly on 1834 he would be elected captain of the of the newly formed York Pennsylvania Rifle. He was assigned to 1st Brigade, 5th Division of the state militia. In April 1849, the Yorks Rifles were reassigned to the 1st Brigade of the 4th Division. During Georges time in the York rifles, he had the responsibly of acquiring arms for the men under his command. This would prove challenging at time as in 1836/37, the York ''Rifle'' company of 72 men, only had 60 rifles. To solve this problem he would turn to the state arsenal of Pennsylvania where they could not meet his needs. He would then go to the Federal Arsenals for rifles, where under a congress act they were obligated to supply arms to state militias. Even with the help from the federal government there would still be supply issues from the 1830s to the 1860s. From the years of 1849-61, George Hay would serve in a variety of roles in the 4th Division. Form 1849-53 he served as brigade inspector for the 1st Brigade, 4th Division. From 54-58 he was the Brigadier General of the 1st Brigade, 4th Division, he would still retain his commission as captain of the York rifles. Then in 1859 he was promoted to Major-General of the 4th Division. Between the Years of 1849-58 George Hay would personally inspect & recondition them for the 1st brigade, 4th Division, there years are documented for the unit to have had major supply issues, leading to him Personally inspecting & fixing older rifles. These guns would be marked ''COND G. HAY 1R 1st B 4TH D.''. That marking is on the barrel of this rifle & is one that he personally inspected for the Yorks rifles. There is only a handful of surviving examples with his marking on it. More information can be found in the article ''George Hay and the search for militia arms'' by Richard C. Saylor. This rifle comes from the Famous Mike Carrick Collection & comes with a bunch of research information & documents from Mike about this rifle & George Hay.

CONDITION: the straight wrist walnut half stock is very good with minor nicks, dings, chips, & scratches from use/age. Small crack running from the rear side plate screw to the barrel. A tight repaired crack by the rear lock plate edge, running towards the trigger. One more tightly repaired chip on the right side of wrist between the barrel tang & lock plate. The left flat of the stock has a script ''U'' over script ''JS'', inspector stamp for James Stubblefield, inspector of rifles & muskets at Harpers Ferry from 1807-21. The left flat is also marked ''V'' over ''MB''. The bottom of the wrist is stamped ''WS''. Brass, button opened patch box in right cheek of stock. The metal has toned to a brown patina with roughness across the metal & light pitting/more roughness near the lock. The left flat of the barrel is marked ''COND G. HAY 1R 1st B 4TH D.'', marking is half worn. the rear of the barrel is marked ''US'' in a oval, & a eagles head in a oval. The lock plate is marked ''HARPERS'', ''FERRY'', ''1815'', & a american great eagle. The bore is poor. Dark with rust & pitting, no visible remains of rifling. The stock carries a brass buttplate with small dings. Rifle has no sling mounts. Rifle has correct iron ramrod. Antique/Muzzleloader, No FFL Req - Value: 500 to 1000

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Price

RARE!! Harpers Ferry, Model: 1803 Rifle, Yorks rifles, George Ha... Item # 4409 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $1706

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