Horace E. Dimick was a gunmaker and gun dealer in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1849 into the early 1870s and ran a "Western Emporium" where he sold a variety of goods. Dimick furnished 150 rifles of his design and a variety of those made by many other western gunsmiths to what became 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry under Col. J.W. Birge during the Civil War. The unit was known as Birge's Western Sharpshooters and was composed of men from many states. General Fremont reportedly required all recruits for this unit to "fire a three-shot group, not exceeding three inches, at 200 yards with open sights." "H. E. DIMICK ST. LOUIS" is marked ahead of the sporting style rear sight (elevator absent). The lock is setup for full-cock only and is unmarked aside from some scroll designs on the hammer. The muzzle is turned down to round for use with a fitted starter (not included), and the rifle also features a dovetailed German silver blade front sight, double set triggers, spurred iron trigger guard, and a smooth half-length stock with an angled pewter forend cap, German silver wedge escutcheons and lock screw washer, and iron crescent buttplate and toe plate.

Fine. The barrel display dark brown patina and even moderate pitting along the length. The lock and furniture have smoother brown patina. The German silver and pewter have nice aged patina. The stock is also fine and has minor hairline cracking on the left ahead of the rear escutcheon, general mild scrapes and dings, a few minor chips, and much of the glossy finish. Mechanically fine.