Nineteenth Century British 19th Century flintlock rifle manufactured circa 1803. The rifle has a browned barrel, bright finished lock plate and brass forearm tip, ramrod pipes, side plate, trigger guard and buttplate. The walnut stock has a shallow cheekpiece The barrel has a two leaf rear sight and brass front sight. The rifle generally resembles a Baker Rifle; however it has a distinctive rounded lock plate and hammer and lacks the Baker Rifle patch box and lug for saber bayonet. More significantly, the left side of the rifle stock is fitted with a cavalry sling bar and ring. The underside of the barrel has a lug for a socket bayonet. The rounded lock plate is marked "TOWER" vertically behind the swan neck hammer. The "GR" Royal Cypher is stamped between the hammer and the iron flash pan. The rifle lacks the British Army "Broad Arrow" property mark on the lock and Board of Ordnance inspection and proofmarks on the stock and barrel which were applied to all British Army small arms of this period. The brass wrist escutcheon is engraved "HH"; the significance of this marking is unknown. A rack number. "13" is engraved on the underside of the trigger guard. There are no other visible markings on the rifle exterior. The rifle is fitted with an iron ramrod which is not original to the rifle; the ramrod tip is larger than the rifle bore. Examples of this rifle with similar "HH" markings and numbered trigger guards are illustrated in publications of 19th Century longarms, but the rifle has not been identified as being issued to any particular unit. The lack of British Army property, proof or inspection marks and the "HH" marked wrist escutcheon and "13" rack number indicates the rifle was probably privately manufactured for a local militia unit or home service Yeomanry Cavalry.

Very fine. The barrel has a smooth brown patina and the lock retains most of the bright finish. There is some minor flash pitting on the barrel and adjacent portions of the lock. The brass furniture has not been polished. The stamped markings on the lock plate are sharp. The stock is in good to very good condition with numerous minor dents and scratches The original ramrod is missing. This is a very fine example of one of the several non-regulation rifles and carbines manufactured to arm home-service militia units in Great Britain during the Napoleonic Wars.