Gallager Carbine .50 calibur posted southen maryland

[johnmatisse@myway.com]

. When I was a kid I was given a Galleger Carbine .50 that was from the civil war. It was a cheer up present from my family after my father John D. Gassaway died on the 22 of Dec, 1973. I grew up in leonardtown Md . located in st. Marys county . this gun meant a lot to me because it was in my family since the civil war . It was one of those things you just don't want to loose. My family aided the CSA & Stonewall Jackson men crossing the Potomac river for supplies , my Grate grandfather Doc. Gassaway 's Father was given it as a memento for supplying the Union soldiers with Grain with the money they paid him he helped fund general Stonewall Jackson cause In fact it might have been used for that matter , but it had been broken in half at one time & the bottom bracing was split write by the screw . It has been along time since it was stolen . the percussion cap or tab was worn smooth . The gun didn't fire anymore it was more of a family air loom, the firing mechanism was frozen . any way I have been looking for this gun for years now ever since it was taken . A friend told me to look in all the antique dealers in leonardtown & in the 7th district . I took it to be appraised By a friend Of Howard antiques. Howard new a lot of people that collected guns . when I came back to get the gun. He informed me that he had been robbed & they took all of his Guns & coins , along with my GGGrate Grand fathers J. H. Gassaway Galleger. since then I have been looking everywhere for it . Then I saw a posting on this web page deep southern Maryland looking for help anyone that knows anything about The Gal lager Carbine . I have to try , There just aren't many of those guns left & in southern Maryland, What are my chances , I would just like to get my family's gun back . Since it was given to me after the death of my father it Is that much more important . Please if it is the same Gun , contact me , Sincerely yours, John M. Gassaway johnmatisse@myway.com

[mwmoore10261]

There are more Gallager owners in Southern Maryland than you would think. Almost all of us own the German reproduction made by Erma Werke in the 1970's. St. Mary's Light Infantry bought a batch of them for about $150 each in the 70's and our team still puts a couple on the line. I shoot a Maynard now. If there is talk on the Bulletin Board about Gallagers then it probably is about the care and feeding of the repop with the fast twist machine gun barrel.
Michael Moore,10261, St Mary's Light Infantry

[JDCOTT]

John,

I just read your post and I'm sorry such a valuable to connection to your family's past is in someone else's hands-a connection to your father must make it even harder. I know it would for me. It may sound corny, but it's sincere so please take it for what it's worth-I pray your Gallagher is found and comes home and that connection to your past is restored.

Sincerely,

John

[johnmatisse@myway.com]

I looked for the Gun for several years in fact & got rather close to someone, I was told that had bought it from Howard ?? Howard Valandingham , Had apparently lied to me about being robbed ! I think he figured it was worth a bit since it was made in Philadelphia By Springfield & it was a civil war era gun . The stock was dark cherry colored wood , the Barrel was gray in color & I am fairly sure it was nickle now that you mention it . It was not Blued at all like the guns we have today . the nickle was dual not shiny I know the person he sold to was a cop ! ( They were in the police department ) State or St Mary's county sheriffs dept. I am not sure of it but it might have gone to one of his fammily members . All I know is I was swindled out of a gift that had been in my family for many years. I gave up after I heard that sit was in the hands of a cop ?? I was 24 when a friend told me Howard was or couldn't be trusted ! That made it hard since Thomas A. Farrell had referred me to him . Thomas is married to one of Howard daughters . Howard died in 1989 so he is out of the picture . he had a very hard death do to emphysema, He died in a way I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. you can't trust your close friends who can you trust ? I am sure it has changed hands since then But, Know I going to find that gun if I have to track down . I think someone has it & doesn't know that it was stolen originally. But, I really need to find it . The Gun was given to my fammily as a token of thanks ,& because John liked to collect guns . I wish I never trusted brought the Gun to Howard . I think He thought I wasn't a county boy so he would pull a fast one on me. He was dead wrong ! I am related to the Dorsey's . If anyone comes across a Galleger made in Philly please email me. johnmatisse@myway.com I living in Bedford Virginia ,but I know how to get home !~

[R. McAuley 3014V]

It would be easier to track down if you could post the serial number, and that way, if someone has since purchased it, it would alert them to possessing a stolen gun. If you had further legal documents describing the gun by its serial number, then you might come closer recovering it. I don't know that anyone quite knows just how many Gallager carbines were nickel-plated, but they do exist. Bannerman had lots of Gallagers and even bored some out smooth for shotguns. But there were nearly 18,000 of the carbines made in Philadelphia, plus another 5000 manufactured in .56-52 Spencer, and still some others converted to .44 and .50 caliber rimfire. So, you description needs to specify whether your dad's carbine was one of these other cartridge guns or was still in percussion as well. You have mentioned other distinguishing features, for example, that the carbine had been broken in half and the bottom brace was split next to the screw, this should assist in distinguishing the carbine from some other carbine that has been nickeled because unless its been repaired and re-nickeled, it may still remain broken or may even have new parts if its been fixed though not necessarily re-nickeled? But in the event that the nickel-plating has been removed and the parts repaired, if you don't know the serial number or cannot provide any legal documents bearing the serial number, you may be looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Wish you the best of luck.

[Eric A. Savickas, 08663V]

I have a Gallager and an extra lockplate... It is quite simple just to change the lockplate and voila, different gun. Gunbroker had several parts of a Gallager for sale a while back also.