Mathias Tieffenbrunner .50 Cal Single Shot Set Flintlock Sporting Rifle – Antique

SOLD FOR: $1,860
Make: Mathias Tieffenbrunner
Model: Terraux
Serial Number: 1688
Year of Manufacture: 1700s
Caliber: .50 Caliber
Action Type: Muzzle Loading Flintlock Ignition with Double Set Triggers
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “Mathias Tieffenbrunner” and “1688”. The right side plate is marked “Terraux”.
Barrel Length: The Octagon Barrel is 32” in Length.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a very short brass blade dovetailed into the top of the barrel. The rear sight is a brass “V” notch dovetailed into the barrel. The blade in the rear sight is replaceable.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The one piece stock is fancy walnut with a fiddleback pattern in the wrist and a large burl pattern in the buttstock. The buttstock has a cheekpiece with a brass buttplate that covers the top of the heel for about 3”. The buttstock is almost flat on the back with a large protruding screw at the top that actually fits over the top of the shooters shoulder when the rifle is mounted. There is a large headed screw in the belly and a sling swivel mounted to the forend for a sling, which is attached. The forend runs to the end of the muzzle where is has a black metal nose cap, and is grooved on its underside for storage of a ramrod, which is held in brass thimbles. The wood is engraved to form a border around the barrel, the ramrod groove, the left and right side plates and the front of the trigger guard. The wood shows oil staining and a few handling marks and compressions. There is also what looks like a surface crack in the wood along each side of the front of the comb that runs to the rear for about 4”. The cheekpiece shows small compression around its lower edge and marks in the face that look like it was struck with a waffle headed framing hammer. There are also several deeper compression marks on the right side of the stock near the butt. The LOP measures 11 7/8” from the front of the rear trigger and 13 1/8” from the front of the forward trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows heavy tarnish and is in about Very Good condition. The stock rates in about Good to Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: The barrel is blued. The right side plate and lockwork appear to be in-the-white. The trigger guard and left sideplate are brass.
Finish Originality: All Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark in the grooves. The rifling was cut with rounded grooves that are very deep. We did not see any erosion.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 70% of its metal finish. The barrel shows a few light handling marks plus pinprick surface erosion scattered along its entire length. The right side plate and hammer show pitting and the frizzen and its spring are both developing a dark brown patina. The brass trigger guard and the left side plate have developed a mustard colored patina and the left side plate also shows handling marks. The screw heads are sharp except for the front screw on the left side plate, which is disfigured. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good to Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly some of the time, but sometimes the hammer will not engage the sear. When it did engage, the rear trigger sets the front, which breaks very lightly. We have not fired this rifle.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a one piece brown leather carrying sling that is about 7/8” in width. It has a blued steel compression type buckle for adjusting length that is marked “L & F”. The leather shows light surface cracking, scuff marks, oil staining and what appears to be a covering of white powder. Overall, the belt is in Fair condition. It also comes with a wooden ramrod with a black painted concave tip. The ramrod shows oil stains and a few handling marks and is in Fine condition.
Our Assessment: This is a very interesting looking flintlock sporting rifle. We think the manufacturer was Mathias Tieffenbrunner, probably of Austria, as this name was marked on the barrel along with 1899, which we assume is the serial number. The right sideplate is also marked “TERRAVX” and the only close reference to this we could find is the French word for soil – “Terreaux”. Please see our pictures for a better description of this rifle than we could ever put in words. It is in about Good to Very Good condition with hardly any marks in the metal, but with pinprick surface erosion on the barrel, pitting on the lockwork, and a hammer that does not always engage the sear. The bore is very shootable, but we think this great looking rifle is going to end up in a collection of fine antique firearms.