Caucasian / Circassian percussion rifle?

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

This is actually Persian, Eric.
How to tell? It's difficult. The Persian form was adopted early on in the Caucasus, the primary differences being that the butt *generally* (but not invariably) drops more than the Caucasian and is *generally* (but not invariably) round in cross section (the Caucasian is most often oval.) Caucasian gun butts can also have a narrower, almost parallel profile.

Embellishment is usually, but not always, a good indicator of the region from which one of these comes. Persian guns tend to be decorated more simply, usually with bone or ivory geometrical inlays. They may also have fewer barrel bands, which are more often iron or brass. In the Caucasus, silver mounts, (plain, engraved, nielloed, and/ or gilded) were more often used.

The standout indicators here, however, are that your gun is fitted with a percussion lock and triggerguard, much more common in Persia and India than in the Caucasus, where miquelet locks with an unguarded, button trigger, continued in use up to the early 20th century.

While both types will often have finely wrought and embellished barrels, Persian longarms are often smoothbore, making them muskets, while Caucasian guns are often (but again, not always) rifled.

These are simply guidelines, unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules.

Oliver I was actually hoping that it was Persian but due to the limited amount of images available online I could not be sure, your book on the Wagner collection was the first place I looked, thanks for the info!!!