California Rifle?

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen, I saw a reference to a "California Rifle" this morning.  From the context, it would seem to have been some sort of half stock, brass mounted rifle.  Anyone here know anything about them?

[Tsalagidave]

To my knowledge, this was a general term for a heavy-barreled plains rifle of .50 or larger that could be used to take down a Grizzly Bear. It could be anything from a St. Louis gun to something from the Eastern States.

I believe, they were also called 'Bear Guns', but I'd have to go through the stacks to see what I can find. Don't know if this would be as easy as a Google search. I'll see if there is anything I can find.

-Dave

[Professor Marvel]

I seem to recall (but cannot find) an article describing half-stock California rifles of medium caliber
(.45 or .50) with false muzzles being used to take seals off the coast.

there wer quite a few gunmakers on the Pacific coast.

there was once an auction listing for
"California Rifle Percussion 45 cal by Schneider & Browning"
but once sold, photos & descrition are gone

from http://www.earmi.it/USA%20Gunmakers/S.html
snip-----------
SCHNEIDER— 622 Market St., San Francisco, Calif. 1887. Made rifles called "Native Son Guns."
endsnip----------

and here's an auction for a purported back-action california rifle
Documented N. Curry & Bro. of San Francisco Retailer Marked "Silver Era" Back Action Half Stock Percussion Rifle
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/74/1164/marked-silver-era-back-action-half-stock-percussion-rifle

here's a link to another forum's discussion

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/late-1800s-california-rifle.1570/

hope this helps

[Niederlander]

To my knowledge, this was a general term for a heavy-barreled plains rifle of .50 or larger that could be used to take down a Grizzly Bear. It could be anything from a St. Louis gun to something from the Eastern States.

I believe, they were also called 'Bear Guns', but I'd have to go through the stacks to see what I can find. Don't know if this would be as easy as a Google search. I'll see if there is anything I can find.

-Dave

I tried Googling it, but all you get when you Google California and rifle is laws and stuff how guns are evil.

[River City John]

Unless you did it already, try putting "California Rifle" in quotes?

Nevermind, I tried it and same search results . . .

BUT, continuing down the rabbit hole did come up with this site's reference:
http://grrw.org/the-heyday-of-the-hawken/
"... but more closely resembled a Dimick or a California rifle of the 1850-60's. ..."

[Niederlander]

I read that same article!  Good stuff, but not really what I was looking for.

[Tsalagidave]

I did not think that you'd have any luck Googling it.

"California Rifle Powder' was heavily marketed, especially about 1853-1855 through the 1870s in a multitude of city directories.

Gazlay's San Francisco Business Directory (1861) listed John Skinner as the sole agent in San Francisco for Du Pont. It is described as crystal-grain to be sold in 5-lb. cans (6 per case)

The Oregon Board of Statistics (1870) priced 1-lb. of California Rifle Powder at 55 cents.

Montague's Illinois & Missouri Directory (1854-55) has an ad by the Enfield Powder Co. listed the following gunpowder options:

* California Rifle Powder
* Sea Sporting Powder
* Prairie Shooting Powder
* American Eagle Powder
* Blasting Powder
* Safety Fuse Powder


From what I can gather a "California Rifle" is a generalization for a plains rifle commonly carried upon the Southern Routes into California.  While I think that the "Hawkin" is often over-represented at events, there is still testimony of it as described by Ruxton in his book on Life in the Far West. (*Dale, here is an example of a brass-mounted Hawken's Rifle) :


"La Bonte, on his arrival at St. Louis, found himself one day in no less a place than this ; and here he made acquaintance with
an old trapper about to start for the mountains in a few days, to hunt on the head waters of Platte and Green River. With this
man he resolved to start, and, having still some hundred dollars in cash, he immediately set about equipping himself for the expedition. To effect this, he first of all visited the gun-store of Hawken, whose rifles are renowned in the mountains, and exchanged his own piece, which was of very small bore, for a regular mountain rifle.
This was of very heavy metal, carrying about thirty-two balls to the pound (.530), stocked to the muzzle, and mounted with brass, its only ornament being a buffalo bull, looking exceedingly ferocious, which was not very artistically engraved upon the trap in the stock. Here, too, he laid in a few pounds of powder and lead, and all the necessaries for a long hunt."

-Life in the Far West, Geo. F. Ruxton (1849)

Randolph Marcy gave this account of a preferred rifle for traveling westward.

"The rifles that are manufactured in the Eastern States are designed for small game or target practice, and are, for the most part, of small calibre, carrying from about 80 to 100 round balls to the pound (about .36-.39 cal.). While it is admitted that these missiles, when fired with great accuracy through the vitals of a deer, will bring him to the ground, yet it is contended that if they only penetrate the fleshy parts of the animal, or even pass through the entrails, they are often insufficient to stop him ; Whereas, if a deer be wounded with a large ball, he will bleed much more freely, and will sooner become exhausted.

I have always been much more successful with a large-calibred rifle than With a small one ; and I am of the opinion that a gauge admitting about 32 round balls to the pound (.530 cal.)is the most efficient, not only for deer-shooting, but for all the other large game quadrupeds found upon our continent.

A hunting rifle should not be shorter in the barrel than 30 inches (I prefer 34 inches), as this length insures a good line of sight, and gives a desirable balance to the gun when brought to the shoulder. A shorter barrel may throw the ball with as much accuracy, but it is more easily thrown out of the proper line of direction, and does not allow sufficient interval between the front and back sights. The weight of metal in the barrel is a consideration of importance, but will depend somewhat upon the physical powers of the individual. A heavy barrel recoils less than a light one, and, consequently, throws the projectile with more precision; but a delicate man can not carry a very heavy rifle upon his shoulder all day without too great a tax upon his powers of endurance. Some of our stout and hardy frontiermen, like the Swiss mountaineers, carry a rifle of twenty pounds' weight, but this I deem unnecessarily large. A rifle weighing entire from 10 1/2 to 12 pounds is, in my judgment, heavy enough for hunting purposes. It does not recoil perceptibly when properly charged, and is not cumbersome for men of ordinary physique."

-The Prairie Traveler (1859-61)

This is a good discussion. I'd really like to see other sources that members of the group have come up with. I don't believe that the descriptions I have given here are the only qualifiers for what a "California Rifle" would be. I would like to see more descriptions.

-Dave



[/list]

[Niederlander]

According to The Plains Rifle, the Hawken shop did a lot of business rebuilding existing rifles brought to them by settlers and anyone else going west.  They tended to get shortened, and re-bored to whatever the outer dimensions of the barrel would allow.  They would also give the rifle a general going over to make them as reliable as possible.  I'd bet they were a LOT more common than what we consider Plains Rifles.

[Tsalagidave]

I agree. Either that or other eastern brands that simply followed the pattern. I think of G. W. Kendall during the Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1842 when he carried a Dickson rifle which at the time was a well-known brand of muzzle-loaders manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky. It was described as "short but heavy-barreled" and of .59 caliber (24 balls to the pound).

-Dave

[Niederlander]

Totally agree.  Not sure how we'd ever prove it, though.

[Tsalagidave]

There is plenty of accounts out there pard. We'll put it together eventually.

-Dave

[Gabriel Law]

Here's an article I saved from a gun rag from the 70's.

[Ol Gabe]

All, enjoy these threads immensely!
Just a passing thought on this one: my cousin in Northern CA who checks in once every 10 years or so, has a M/L half-stock. It is 'old' he says, and has GOLCHER imprinted on the lock. He claims it has been in his possession forever, gifted to him many years ago by a fellow worker at P&G where they both worked. He also said it was called a 'California Gun' because of the GOLCHER lock.
It has been years, over a decade or two, since I talked to him about it. He has no way of taking pics, is in his 80's and not interested in much of any of this banter. Ah, well. I hope to be able to get it for family safekeeping sometime in the future.
Is this any help in the above search?
Best regards and good shooting!
'Ol Gabe
ncows925olgabe@gmail.com

[Niederlander]

It would sure be nice to see!  I'd never heard of the California/Golcher connection, either.  Interesting!

[LonesomePigeon]

I believe there was a prolific gun maker in Marysville, CA. I forget his name but if I remember it I will post.

I also have an article somewhere of a man in California who hunted otters with a rifle who said he prefered a large caliber Hawken rifle for the 200 yard head shots required.

[Jack Wagon]

Here is an interesting article about the California Bear Rifle.  Jw   https://www.historynet.com/california-bear-guns-helped-exterminate-grizzly.htm

[Niederlander]

Good article!

[LongWalker]

I saw a rifle marked "Great Western Gun Works" and "The California Rifle" at a gun show maybe 15-20 years ago.  The barrel also had a (mostly worn away) mark for some hardware store.  Great Western Gun Works was operated out of Pittsburgh by J.H. Hohnston.  Company was in business post Civil War to maybe 1925 as a wholesaler and retailer of sporting goods.  Their rifles tended to be rather plain, quality was mediocre-to-OK.   

The one I saw was ~.48-50 caliber, barrel maybe 32" long.  Halfstock, looked like a late Missouri or Ohio squirrel rifle.  Back action lock, set triggers, brass mounts.  It was very similar to other rifles I've seen marked for GWGW, so I figured it was the equivalent of the hardware store guns from the first half of the 20th century. 

[Tsalagidave]

Very cool. Thanks for the article Gabriel. I learned a lot from it. I was surprised to see it was just a .36.  Barrel looks heavy so I bet it can pack a punch against the small deer, black bears, mountain lions, and small game.

I am glad to just see pictures of a documented California-made gun.

-Dave

[LongWalker]

Sorry, took a while to remember where I saw this.  This is an example of a rifle made for--and marked for--the California trade.  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30033.0