Edward Middleton BP rifle

[Anzac15]

Have the opportunity to pick up this Edward Middleton BP rifle for $100. Seller claims it is a .32 caliber. I tried to find some reference to Middleton, but the only thing I could find is that he was a gunmaker from England, and apparently only made shotguns..I can find no reference to an Edward Middleton rifle. These are the only two pics I could get at the moment. Worth the $100?

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Anzac, better photos are needed. To me, it does not look at all English. The "Schuetzen"-style butt and jazzy star-inlay rather suggest an Italian repro. If so, the proof marks will normally be on the left flat of the barrel, close to the "waterline".
But still worth the $100 if it is properly functional.
And if I'm wrong and it is original, then it's a steal.

[Daan Kemp]

Looks good enough for $100. Agree with repro.

[Anzac15]

Forgot this one..

[tiriaq]

Modern builder used an antique lock. Is the barrel modern?

[Anzac15]

I honestly do not know. I'm leaving now in fact to take a look at it. Seller claims this belonged to his father who got it at a flea market in the early '50s.

[Aragorn243]

The stock alone is probably worth the $100. Looks like it's missing the cleaning rod but that's easily fixed. Unless it's a piece of junk repro which is does not look like, I'd pay that much for it without thinking too hard on it. Even nice modern repros, etc go for a lot more than that. The kits at Cabela's are about double that and they are completely unfinished.

[rcathey]

The stock alone is probably worth the $100. Looks like it's missing the cleaning rod but that's easily fixed. Unless it's a piece of junk repro which is does not look like, I'd pay that much for it without thinking too hard on it. Even nice modern repros, etc go for a lot more than that. The kits at Cabela's are about double that and they are completely unfinished.

I'll second that.

[#1oilman]

Hi Anzac in my opinion what you have is a typical half stock Pennsylvania style rifle which is commonly found in the upper north eastern US and also in the great lakes region of Ontario and Quebec. There is nothing English about it. I think you will find that the name on the lock is most likely a jobber that produced locks for various gun makers. Nice looking rifle !

[browningautorifle]

I'd take it for $100 for a shooter too, get a rod for it... That would be easy.