Revolutionary War era flintlock rifle made by Peter Gonter of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The biography of Peter Gonter in "KENTUCKY RIFLE IN ITS GOLDEN AGE" by Joe Kindig Jr., states that Peter Gonter was a Lancaster gunmaker who was born in 1751 and probably made Kentucky rifles from about 1770 until his death in 1818. Gonter was apparently the apprentice of Reading, Pennsylvania gunmaker Wolfgang Haga. His work forms the link between the Lancaster and Reading schools of Kentucky rifles. The rifle has a full-octagon .50 caliber barrel with dovetail mounted brass front sight blade and dovetail mounted iron rear sight. "P. GONTER." is boldly stamped on the top flat with three simple floral designs on either side of the gun-maker's name. The breech is decorated with line-and-dot engraving. The lock plate has beveled edges and a pointed tip with a single line border. The lockmaker's name is stamped in front of the hammer but is not legible. The lock has an integral fenced iron pan, a graceful goose neck hammer with single line border and frizzen with curved toe. The maple wedge fastened stock has a pronounced stripe. The stock has a carved cheekrest. The left side of the stock is decorated with incised floral carvings behind the cheekrest and on either side of the wrist. The lower edges of the stock and both sides of the forearm are decorated with incised carvings. An engraved, eight-pointed silver star is inlaid on the top of the cheekrest. An oval silver thumb piece is inlaid in the stock wrist. The eight oval wedge escutcheons on the forearm are silver with engraved zig-zag borders. The rifle has a slightly curved brass buttplate and engraved brass patch box. The patch box is very similar to a patch box attributed to John Gonter and illustrated on page 184 of "KENTUCKY RIFLE PATCHBOXES, VOLUME 2" by Chandler and Whisker. The rifle has a plain brass forearm cap, four brass ramrod pipes, a brass side plate decorated with engraved scrollwork and dash borders and a brass trigger guard with finger spur. The rifle is fitted with double set-triggers. This is a high quality Lancaster made Kentucky rifle that probably dates from the late 1770s to mid 1780s and has many of the features associated with "Golden Age" Kentucky rifles.

Fine. The barrel has a silver-gray patina with scattered light pitting and small patches of age discoloration. The rifling is deep and the edges of the barrel are sharp. The maker's name is clear. The lock has a gray brown patina with light surface pitting. The rifle appears to be in the original flintlock configuration. The brass patch box and side plate are in fine condition with crisp engraving and a mellow patina. The buttplate, trigger guard and other brass furniture are in fine condition. The silver wedge escutcheons, thumb piece and cheekrest inlay are in very good condition. The stock is in fine condition with crisp edges and sharp incised carving. With a very attractive patina. This is a fine example of a high quality 18th Century Kentucky rifle made by a well known Lancaster, Pennsylvania gunmaker.