American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume II: From the 1790s to the End of the Flintlock Period

170. JENKS MUZZLELOADING RIFLE

JENKS MUZZLELOADING RIFLE 170. No contract or delivery information has been located regarding these rifles, but all observed examples bear the inspection and proof markings of U.S. inspectors James Harris and Nahum W. Patch, which indicate at least limited government procurement. Because Ordnance Department procurement for the army during this period is well documented in the National Archives, and because no mention is made of these rifles in those records, it is speculated that a small number may have been procured for firing or shipboard trials by the U.S. Navy, of which a great deal less is known during this 1838-1840 period. It has also been speculated that a quantity of these rifles were procured by the Republic ofTexas in 1840. Information in Texas documents concerning the procurement, transportation, and issue of 250 Jenks arms refers to "rifles" and "carbines" at different times. It is possible that both were included. Known information on this Republic of Texas procurement is in Section 171. Plate 170.-A Although allknown examples of Jenks muzzleloading flintlock rifles are stamped with barrel proofs and stock acceptance cartouches of known U.S. inspectors, no federal procurement information is known. It is speculated that 100 or fewer were procured by the navy or by the government for the Republic of Texas. GENERAL INFORMATION Caliber: .54. Overall Length: 51". Finish: All metal parts arefinished bright, except the lock springsand the trigger, which are blued from the heat treating process. Brass Components: Pan and front sight. Procurement: Unknown. BARREL Length: 35V'. Contour: Round, tapering in decreasing diameter to the flat-crowned muzzle. There are 2" breech side flats. Muzzle Extension: 3V. Bore: The bore is rifled with nine .110"-wide grooves. The land-to-groove diameter is .550". Breech Plug: The 2V by V tang has a rounded end. JENKS MUZZLELOADING RIFLE 479 Bayonet Lug: There isa V byV low rectangular lug brazed to the underside of the barrel V behind the muzzle. Ramrod Catch: A 23 /4" ramrod catch, of "fish-tail" configuration, is dovetailed to the underside of the barrel 13 /i6" behind the muzzle. The rear edge of this catch engages a shoulder on the ramrod's shaft. Front Sight: The V brass blade is located 2V behind the muzzle. Rear Sight: The standing leaf with large "V" notch is dovetailed to the barrel 8V forward of the breech. LOCK This is a back-action lock. Lockplate: The 6V by l/V lockplate has a flat surface with beveled edges forward of the cock. The extended rear portion behind the cock is convexsurfaced and is inlet flush with the stock's surface. The plate's rear profile is in the form of a beveled semicircle, which corresponds to the head ofthe rear lockplate screw. This wood screw passes from right to left, and this method of retention isthe only difference between the locks of this rifle and the Jenks breechloading flintlock musketoon, described in the following section. Cock: The 2V convex-surfaced cock has a 3 /s"-diameter round hole in its reinforced throat. The tang's straight rear profile continues that of the body, and the top of the tang is rounded. There is a vertical notch in the rear of the top jaw,which encloses the front and sides of the tang. The jawscrew's spherical head is slotted and holed. Pan: The horizontal, round-bottomed pan has a high fence. Frizzen: The rounded top of the I1 Vie" frizzen is inclined forward. The front face is convex-surfaced, and the tail is straight. Frizzen Spring: This spring is the reverse of those usually found on flintlock arms. The curved portion between the bevel-edged upper and lower leavesis to the rear, and the open end isforward. The front end ofthe upper leafcurves Plate 170,-BJenks's military flintlock arms have back-action locks with reversed frizzen springs. Note that the rear ofthelockplate does not fully enclose the rear sidescrew's head. 48O AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS, VOL. II downward slightly, and the lower leaf terminates at the screw, without the usual finial. Other: The three external lock screwshave convex heads. FURNITURE Trigger and Guard Assembly: The trigger issuspended from a lateral pin in the stock, downward through a slot in the 93 /i6" trigger plate. The 1 "-wide guard bow isriveted to this round-ended plate. It is retained by wood screws at the front and rear and...