Break-in and Theft at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

The following is a reposting  of a notice of a theft. Hopefully this will assist in capturing the thieves or at least recovering some of the items:

Two historical sites in southern Colorado have been robbed in the past week by thieves who stole buffalo hides, historic weapons and cash, according to the National Park Service. View Full Story <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16218767?source=email>

The following is a list and photos of the firearms recently stolen from Bent’s Old Fort NHS. If we might ask your assistance in making our various ‘brother and sister hoods’ aware of the theft and to be on the lookout for these firearms at auctions, pawn shops, gun shows and gatherings it would be helpful.

If any of these firearms is spotted, or believed to be spotted, please contact Rick Wallner at Bent’s and/or the Otero County Sheriff  719-384-5941.

Rick Wallner
Chief of Interpretation
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
phone: (719) 383-5024
fax: (719) 383-2129
email:  rick_wallner@nps.gov

BEOL 3046
REPRODUCTION.   Flintlock muzzle loading single barrel shotgun.   Full length wood stock w/both plate, serpent sideplate, ramrod thimbles & tip, front sight and under  barrel band of brass. Barrel, lock, triggerguard, & trigger are steel. Sideplate, lock, trigger guard & butt plate attached w/steel screws. Stock is walnut(?) with lozenge-shaped finial on rear of lock mortise area. Barrel is octagon for 12″ of length then round for rest of length, w/2 turned wedding bands 2 3/4″ apart at juncture.  The metal is blued with the words “GREEN RIVER FORGE”.  The lock plate is sightly engraved with the initials GRF and the image of a sitting fox in a circle.  The butt plate has the number 4 stamped on it to help identify it.  Stamped by BEOL employee in 1979. Bore is .58 caliber smoothbore.
LENGTH 52″; BARREL 361/2″

BEOL 3048
REPRODUCTION.   Muzzle loading single barrel flintlock shotgun.   Large triggerguard flat buttplate, stocked to muzzle. Lock, trigger guard, barrel, trigger and screws made of steel. Buttplate, ramrod thimble & tip, front sight and under barrel band of brass. Stock of maple w/oil finish, stright stock, flat butt, lozenge finials around the rear of lock mortise. Barrel octagon for 12″ before 2 turned “wedding bands” spaced 2 1/2″  apart then becomes round for rest of length.  Lock plate, trigger, and trigger guard left in grey metal, barrel is blued.  Steel screws or pins hold parts together.  No rear sight provided with this type of firearm.  The word “GREEN RIVER FORGE” etched on the top of barrel flat.  The number 3 is stamped on the top of the butt plate to help the Park identify the firearm.  The bore is .58 caliber smoothbore.
TOTAL  Length 46 inches, BARREL Length 30 inches

BEOL 3049
REPRODUCTION.   Half-stock percussion plains rifle, plain maple half stock w/ single barrel key and brass barrel key escutheon plates. Pernter type nose cap at distal end of forearm. Percussion lock w/no engraving. Bolster & nipple extend from barrel to proper distance for contact w/hammer. Post front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight.  Barrel is rifled w/7 lands & 7 grooves. The barrel is browned and has an under rib with two steel ramrod ferrules.  Barrel has screw-in breech plug and tongue that does not readily remove for cleaning. Browned steel screws used to hold parts together.  The stock has traces of an oil finish and shows some use.  There is a beavertail cheekpiece and a curved butt.  The buttplate, lockwasher, triggerguard, and barrel escutheons are of brass.  the bore is .50 caliber.  A ramrod is in place beneath the barrel.
**[Gun made by Green River Forge.  Description does not state those words are engraved on the gun, however, it is likely they are.]
TOTAL Length 50 inches, BARREL Length 33 inches

BEOL 3050
REPRODUCTION.   Full stock percussion rifle (early Hawken Bros.) Barrel is octagon for full length 1″ accross the flat & has a .54 caliber rifled bore. Rifle has a buckhorn rear sight and a brass blade front sight. Rifle has a plain (no engravings) Hawken  style percussion lock and double set triggers. Scroll trigger guard, butt plate, toe plate, entry thimble & ramrod ferrules of steel as are the barrel keys. Trigger arrangement features 2 triggers and a set screw. Stock is maple and continues to within 1 1/2″ of the muzzle where a steel muzzle end cap comes almost flush with the muzzle.  There are no escutheons for the barrel keys and the barrel has the traditional Hawken patent breech and snail-shaped drum and cap fine arrangement.  There is a teardrop shaped lock washer on the off side of the piece and a Tennessee styled cheekpiece.
**[Gun made by Green River Forge.  Description does not state those words are engraved on the gun, however, it is likely they are.]
TOTAL  Length 53 inches, BARREL Length 36 inches

BEOL 3447
REPRODUCTION:    (H.E. LEMAN) 1/8″ BARREL (ACROSS FLATS) BROUND AND IS .50 CALIBRE. THE STOCK IS HARD MAPLE STAINED CHESTNUT BROWN. THE FORE END CAP IS STAMPED BRASS. THE THREE RAMROD FERRULES ARE ALSO BRASS. THE SIGHTS ARE OPEN. THE BARREL IS 31 1/2” LONG.
“H.E. LEMAN LANCASTER, P .A. WARRENTED” PRESSED IN BARREL.
THE CAPLOCK IS SQUARED OFF AT THE REAR AND THE LOCK IS STAMPED THROUGH A DRUM AND NIPPLE. A LEMAN STYLE PATCHBOX IS INLET IN THE RIGHT SIDE.   EXCELLENT.
Length  48″
SERIAL #4 NPS 13-00164

BEOL 25304
REPRODUCTION:   A Hawken .54 caliber percussion cap with a maple half length stock.  The barrel is metal with a octogon shape.  On the top of the barrel is a end and front sight.  The percussion cap is metal.  The trigger guard is metal and extends out a little to form a design.  There is a double trigger.
Length  128 cm;  Width 5 cm

BEOL 25305
REPRODUCTION:   Brown Bess musket.  Grice 1762 M-2, short land pattern musket.  .75 caliber, walnut stock, steel ramrod with brass ramrod holders.  Barrel is long and circular. Steel sight at the end of the muzzle.  There is a metal flint lock with a piece of flint wrapped in leather attached.  At the side of the flint lock is the word “GRICE/1762.”  The trigger guard is brass with a metal trigger.  Black metal shoulder strap attachments under the gun.
Length  147 cm,  Diameter  14 cm

BEOL 25307
REPRODUCTION:  North West trade musket/gun.  24 gauge/.58 caliber with a full length maple stock.  The 30 inch browned barrel goes from octagonal to round and has two “wedding bands.”  There is a brass front sight at the muzzle.  The ramrod is hickory with one end having a brass end.  The lock is bright with the letters “YRF” on the side.  On the opposite side is a brass plated sea serpent or dragon bolted on.  The trigger guard and trigger are iron.  The butt is brass.
Length 116 cm, Diameter 13 cm

BEOL 25310
REPRODUCTION:   A Brown bess British musket.  Grice 1762 M-2 reproduction, short land pattern musket.  A .75 caliber with a walnut stock.  A steel ramrod.  A metal gun sight at the end of the muzzle.  The flint lock is metal with a piece of flint wrapped in leather.  The trigger guard is brass with a silver trigger.  On the side of the flint lock is “GRICE/ 1762”.  Has a brass butt plate.  Black shoulder straps attachments are on the bottom of the gun.
Length 148 cm; Diameter 13 cm