A flintlock smoothbore long gun by Johann Christian Oerter, Christian's Spring, Pennsylvania, America. The lock, British, a later replacement by Durs Egg.

With a blued octagonal barrel engraved CHRIST:OERTER.CH:SPRING 1775, and No 162 on the tang, the lock engraved D Egg. The stock made of curly maple, with a later dark finish, is inlaid with decorative copper alloy (brass) wire. A sliding wooden patchbox in the butt contains a cleaning jag. The gun is fitted with copper alloy (brass) mounts, the butt plate engraved 7. The underside of the butt is crudely cut with a name C.TRAILLE R. ARTILYY possibly Captain Peter Traille of the British Royal Artillery active in America during the Revolutionary war. The bluing of the barrel and the dark finish on the stock probably the work of Durs Egg completed in London at the same time the lock was fitted.

Johann Christian Oerter was a prominent gunmaker of Christian's Spring, Pennsylvania. A member of the Moravian community he ran a gunmaking workshop at the age of 19 but died of tuberculosis in 1777 age 29 and is buried Nazareth, Pennsylvania. 

Overall length 60.5 in. Barrel length 42.25 in. 0.475 in. bore.

Publications

Blackmore 1968. Royal Sporting Guns at Windsor, HMSO London.
Lienemann 2017. Moravian Gunmaking II, Bethlehem to Christian's Spring, Kentucky Rifle Foundation.