"Rifle Gun" made by Archibald R. BYRKIT

LAMSON, BYRKIT, VAN BRUSSEL, RANDLE

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 6/12/2006 at 20:21:52

From the Prill transcriptions ~~

In the summer of 1966, following up the lead given by V. A. LAMSON in the "Ledger" of Dec. 30, 1920, that one of Archibald R. BYRKIT's "Rifle Guns" was in the Public Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. William Randle VAN BRUSSEL of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, great-grandson of Albert Nelson RANDLE and Hannah BYRKIT, visited the Milwaukee Public Museum, saw the old gun, and copied from the Bulletin of Public Museum of City of Milwaukee Volume 9:

"No. 12 N5850 Center Fire Rifle-Shotgun
Caliber of Rifle .36, caliber of shotgun .675, about 16 gauge. Pressing forward upon the catch in front of the hammer allows the barrel to be swung sideways to the right and ejects the empty shells. By simultaneously pressing both triggers the stock can be turned so as to serve either rifle or shotgun barrel. Upon the frame are the words 'A. R. BYRKIT, Fairfield, Iowa, Pat'd Jan. 20, 1874'. But six of this type gun were made; the first being impractical, was destroyed by the inventor; four others were converted into different arms. The first five were muzzle-loading; the one here shown was the only breech-loader made and is the only one now in existence."

Mr. VAN BRUSSEL's grandfather, Geo. Washington RANDLE, was born July 29, 1856; died Aug. 4, 1937.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.