Barrel with Lever. What do I have?

[UmpquaCharlie]

This morning I was given a smooth bore barrel with an attached lever.. Lever looks like one from a Ballard. Length is 26 inches. Barrel is round except for the first 3 3/4 inches Chamber end of barrel is 5 sided and measure .587and is 2 1/4 inches long Muzzle measures .540. On the bottom of chamber it is marked WP McF. There are no other markings. Pictures are available if someone wants to post them.
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[UmpquaCharlie]

Any Clues????

 

[gewehrfreund]

Not without a better description and a picture or two.

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

Pictures were sent to a forum friend who will post.

 

[sdoyl123]

Here are the images.

 

[gewehrfreund]

My guess would be a Maynard, and the caliber is probably 52 Maynard? I'm not sure these were smoothbores; maybe just eroded to look like a smoothbore. The rims of the cartridges were exposed between the breechface and end of the barrel, which makes these rifles unique.

 

[sdoyl123]

I agree with the above. It appears to be a Maynard carbine first or second model. Could not find anything on the markings you described.
I will dig a little more.

 

[sdoyl123]

Here are some images.

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

What an amazing group...That is exactly what I have but I am sure the barrel is not washed out but I'll take another look.
Thanks for your help and if you need more pictures just say so and they will be on the way.
Again Thanks Charlie

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

Now that I knew where to start I went to my copy of Grants Single Shot rifles and would concur with those who provided information regarding my barrel and lever. It is from a Maynard and it is a smoothbore. Grant illustrates on page 283 a cartridge called the 55 Maynard Percussion shot shell.
Thanks for your help. Now I wonder if I should part with it or make the search for an action, buttstock and forearm.
Charlie

 

[Mike Armstrong]

If I recall, the smoothbore version of the .55 Maynard is roughly a 20 guage shotgun. Needless to say, the early Maynard shotgun shells were easily reloadable and virtually indestructible except by corrosion.

Many early Maynards were sold as two-barrel sets; one rifled and one smoothbore. Handy, but the barrels do tend to get separated from the rest of the set over time, which is probably what happened to yours. If you don't want it, or don't have a similar vintage rifle to pair it with, you might find somebody who does by advertising it in the ASSRA Journal.

Ken Waters and Ned Roberts' book on single shots has a lot of Maynard info: they were considered first class weapons back in the "golden age of single shots."

Oh, yeah, I'd run over it LIGHTLY with brass wool soaked in Kroil or some other penetrating oil to remove the surface rust and crud.

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

Thanks for the information Mike.
regards Charlie