The following has been posted on the Long Range Muzzle Loader mailing list. Please read and circulate. David
Warning - Another fake 'Confederate Whitworth'
It is nearly three years since we noted the faking of B376 which had been seen at the Baltimore Show in its original unspoilt state and had then been vandalised by falsely engraving '2nd QUALITY' on the trigger guard tang and the fitting of a fake telescope. This nasty piece of knavery being exposed the rifle has vanished from sight but its poor mutilated self may eventually reappear, so BE ON YOUR GUARD.
Now we have another one ! B839 was seen and recorded about three years ago as a detached rusty barrel devoid of any other parts. Since then it has grown a London Armoury Company stock and lock and is now masquerading as a LONDON ARMOURY COMPANY WHITWORTH BARRELLED SHARPSHOOTER'S RIFLE.
The problem with this sort of villainy is that it can lead to false assumptions that get repeated and eventually believed, such as, that the LACo bought in Whitworth Barrels. There is no evidence anywhere that this ever happened.
We issue this warning and would ask everyone to publicise this fake and to remind everyone that the earlier one is still around somewhere. Remember - BEWARE of B376 and B839 and if this causes the files and grinders to come out BEWARE OF ANYTHING PURPORTING TO HAVE A WHITWORTH BARREL IN SOME SORT OF ALTERNATIVE STOCK.
W. S. (Bill) Curtis and De Witt Bailey,
The Whitworth Rifle Research Project.
