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LOT 3174
Documented Civil War Era H.E. Dimick Percussion Rifle - NSN, 42 cal., 31 1/8 inch octagon bbl., brown finish, walnut stock.
two barrel wedges, a plain stock with Moller’s “GDM” collection mark near the toe, and a
crescent iron buttplate.
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS VOL. III BY MOLLER
LOT 3175
Documented Western Sharpshooter
in late 1862 and then the 66th Illinois Veteran Marked St. Louis Half- Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Western
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS VOL. III BY MOLLER
This rifle is pictured on page 436 of “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume III: Flintlock Alterations and Muzzleloading Percussion Shoulder Arms, 1840-1865” by George Moller in his discussion about the rifles supplied by Horace E. Dimick of St. Louis, Missouri, during the Civil War, including the rifles he supplied for Birge’s Western Sharpshooters. This rifle is marked “H.E. DIMICK” on the barrel twice: once ahead of the rear sight and once behind, and Moller notes that “REMINGTON/CAST STEEL” is marked on the lower right flat under the stock. It has a turned down muzzle for use with a starter with a marking on the face that appears to be “CC”, a German silver “Rocky Mountain” blade front sight, a U-notch rear sight, adjustable double set triggers, a spurred iron trigger guard, pewter forend cap with the angled profile found on other Dimick rifles,
CONDITION: Very good overall with a mix of brown patina and applied brown finish, mild overall wear, cracks and repairs concentrated in the mid-section of the stock as well as some chips and slivers absent from the edges, George Moller wrote, “The heavy pitting at the barrel’s breech is silent testimony to this Dimick rifle’s extensive firing.” Mechanically fine. This rifle certainly appears to have seen considerable use by western marksman during the war.
Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
Stock Percussion Rifle - Serial no. 1071, 54 cal., 32 1/2 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/bright finish, curly maple stock. This rifle is pictured and discussed on page 437 of George Moller’s “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume III: Flintlock Alterations and Muzzleloading Percussion Shoulder Arms, 1840-1865.”The muzzle is marked“US,”“WSS” (Western Sharpshooters) and “1071” (rifle number) and Moller wrote, “These markings suggest the rifle may have been delivered after April 1862.”The riflemaker is not known but was likely based in the St. Louis area and sold the rifle to Horace E. Dimick who supplied the unit and operated a large retail business in St. Louis where he sold rifles made
by gunsmiths in his employ as well as those from outside sources. The barrel also has a dovetailed nickel-silver front sight, Lawrence patent notch and ladder rear sight (same sight would have been on the Berdan Sharpshooters’ rifles), “US” on the upper left behind the rear sight, and inlaid German silver bands at the breech. The lock is unmarked and has a double line border. It is equipped with adjustable double set triggers. The forend cap, wedge escutcheons, star on the cheek rest, and blank oval on the bottom of the butt are German silver, and the spurred trigger guard, scroll style side plate, patch/cap box, buttplate, and toe plate are brass. The stock is finely figured curly maple and has a checkered wrist and nicely sculpted cheek rest.
The Western Sharpshooters were known as Birge’s First Sharpshooters early on before being redesignated in early 1862 as the Western Sharpshooters, 14th Regiment Missouri Infantry. They were later redesignated the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry (Western Sharpshooters)
Sharpshooters) in early 1864. The unit was formed
from men from various states in the Midwest. They
were originally intended to be dressed as hunters
to give them a distinctive look that matched their
distinctive“deer”rifles, and it is said that recruits were
required to prove they could shoot 3 inch groups at
200 yards with open sights. As Moller notes, they are
the only regiment armed entirely with sporting arms.
They fought against the Missouri guerrillas in Missouri
initially and went on to fight in many of the war’s most
significant battles, particularly in the western theater
in the first half of the war and then also in the eastern
theater late in the war, including in Sherman’s March to
the Sea. They are among the most storied units of the
war and Over 250 of the men of this unit later replaced
their famous “deer rifles” with the latest state of the art
Henry rifles at their own expense, and by the end of the war as few as 80 of these classic “deer rifles” remained with the regiment. Many no doubt saw very significant use during the war, and accounts of them using their Henry rifles clearly indicate they used those hard as well.
CONDITION: Very good. The barrel has a mix of dark brown patina and applied artificial brown finish, moderate pitting concentrated more heavily at the breech, some filing at the edges of the muzzle, and the refinished tang has artificial brown. The lock is mostly brown with patches of minor pitting. The furniture displays aged patina. The pin for the rear
of the trigger guard is absent. The stock is good and has some cracks and
repairs including a splice between the bolster to just behind the wedge escutcheon on the right and the common tension crack on the left, some small chips and slivers absent from the edges, light scratches, very attractive flame patterns, light golden brown coloration, and crisp checkering. Mechanically fine. This is a classic St. Louis attributed half- stock percussion rifle with connections to one of the most famous units of the Civil War in the West.
Provenance: The George Moller Collection.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
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