#417- Here is a real flight of fancy. I always wondered why some old time inventor didn't design a breech loading flintlock that would un-breech with just a quarter turn of the trigger guard, allowing the shooter to roll in an oversize ball followed by a charge of powder, then close the breech with a quarter turn back. So I decided to try it myself. The rifle is a transitional style with swamped Colerain barrel in 54 caliber, meant to use 570 ball or bullet, AA maple fullstock, all iron mountings for strength, semi-military appearance, DST, Baroque/Rococco incised carving. You can always muzzleload it with a 530 ball & patch in the usual fashion if the breech gets locked up. The trigger guard is hooked up and the mechanism is tested and works. (Works best in the rain and wet) It's really fun to HooRah the guys at Rendezvous with this unique rifle. POR- will always consider an offer

#539 Jaeger flintlock 69 caliber 'masterwork' by DOC. In the Germanic tradition, every journeyman had to produce a masterwork in order to graduate into the top ranks of gunmakers. I started work on this rifle in 1972, and it has turned to be more of a 'try gun'  than a 'masterwork'. I have used it to try many new (to me) techniques, including wire inlay, ivory carving and inlay, poetry (verse on the top flat of the barrel), flintlocks from scratch, sliding wooden patchboxes, chiseled and scenic engraving, complex bas-relief carving, etc., and I'm probably not done yet. 

The flintlock is one I made. It's the size of an English trade lock but with Germanic features. After building that one, I decided I would buy them from a specialist. I also made the DST and decided the same thing. I still occcasionally make a flintlock, but only when I can't buy the model or style that I want.

The large silver inlay on the cheek-piece is heavily engraved, showing a cupid in the tree to the left, a naked woman lying under the tree and an amorous cross-bow wielding gentleman kneeling over her. Both the brass trigger guard and butt-plate are heavily engraved. The inlay in the butt-stock is carved ivory, as are the inlays at the wrist. All that carving is in bas-relief.

The side pieces opposite the flintlock are ivory, the real stuff from an elephant, carved to match the bas relief carving in the wood.

The inlays shown here are ivory too, carved to match the wood. The rifle weighs in at 11 lbs. , but holds pretty well.  It needs the weight, a shot with a 69 cal ball and 180 grains FFg  will set you back a step. The recoil is solid, to say the least.

#546- Pauley 504 caliber in line Sporting Rifle with false left hand lock and side lock safety.

        The English made many sporting rifles with the sidelock on the left side, but meant for use by a right hander. They had noted that the right hander's thumb lies in perfect position to cock a left sided hammer . This rifle, made by DOC, is made in that style. It's fully useful for both right and left hander. It is 504 caliber, with White 1-24 twist rifling, made for the same Power Punch and Power Star bullets that shoot so well in White designed rifles. The lock and hammer are false, as were all of Pauley's designs, pulling back on the hammer cocks the in-line mechanism so you can cap it ready for the shot. There is also a Side Lock Safety, designed by DOC, that locks the trigger in SAFE when straight up, and releases it for FIRE when horizontal. It is located on the right side. The folding rear sight is mounted on a quarter rib. The tang is long, and will accomodate a tall Vernier rear sight if wanted. POR 

The stock is walnut with nice grain running correctly through the wrist, the pistol grip is capped by rosewood. Both are stained English Red, then varnished with Brownell's fantastic waterproof epoxy varnish. The metal is finished with bright blue Dura-Coat, a better and more durable finish than any ordinary brown or blue.

The Side Lock Safety is seen here at the rear of the sidelock panel in a very ergonomic position. (PHOTO LEFT) It locks the trigger, which locks the hammer, when upright on SAFE. Push it forward for FIRE. The trigger is single, with a 2 lb. letoff. It is adjustable.  The left sided cocking handle, seen above in the middle and right photos, is actuated by a braided wire, which means you can cock the hammer (seen on the right above) then push it forward out of battery for the shot (see below, left) That way there is no weight on the inline hammer.    

Also, the hammer cocking handle can be rotated into the up-lifting safety notch for a second and very secure SAFE when the rifle is cocked.  (photo left, above) The quarter rib and folding rear sight can be seen in the photo right, above. The front sight is a fiber-optic red bead on a ramp. The ramrod rides on an under-rib and is held by two ferrules. The long tang will take a Vernier rear sight if you want, The fore-end is styled after Henry. There is a rubber recoil pad, which does not look at all out of place. The English originated leather covered rubber pads at about the time this rifle was designed in 1812. J S Pauley London is engraved on the lockplate. The rifle has been accurized, shoots into three inches at 100 yards with the open sights and my old eyes and it is right on the money at that range with 80 gr fffG 777 and a 500 grain No Excuse bullet.

#572- Dutch-German light wheel-lock, 40 caliber, rifled for round ball, all iron mounts and furniture. POR-OBO

The barrel is a swamped Green Mountain, the wood a nice piece of walnut, shown in the square. The lock is from The Rifle Shoppe, and comes as a kit. Its provenance is German, meant for a pistol, but just right for a light caliber rifle. I could not resist the challenge. You can see that it is my project #123. Watch for more photos as it finishes up. Doc's Latest Adventure is featuring it as an ongoing project, with lots of photos and brags as the gun progresses. Click on 'Doc's Latest Adventure' above to follow its progress.

#576 Lion Beck-  A reproduction of the famous flintlock rifle by J P Beck of the Lebanon School with a rampant Lion behind the cheekpiece. The original is very likely pre-revolutionary as the double headed eagle is a distinct pre-revolutionary English influenced feature. This is the finest piece of maple I have ever worked on, intensly curly and hard as a rock. Barrel is by Rayl, 50 caliber, swamped and 50 inches long. Pull is 15 inches. The gun has already SOLD.

There are four ramrod ferrules, including the rear one, as well as four barrel pins. The fore-end cap is obliquely ribbed.

I had a hard time not engraving the brass sidelock plate, but the original is plain, so I left it that way.

The rampant Lion is a distinctly English feature, seen on the English Coat-of-Arms, but rendered in a unique folk-art fashion. Getting the lion to stand out in bas-relief required the sharpest of tools, the utter-most patience and more sweat of brow than I usually care to spend, except I could not put aside the challenge of doing it. The maple was so hard and densly curly, popping out a single hunk could have ruined the whole project.

All the furniture is Beck, in brass. The exception is the silver double headed eagle on the cheekpiece. The lock is Jim Chambers finest Premium. The buyer is 6'-7" and it fits him perfectly.

#579- Very fancy Jaeger rifle by DOC, the brass furniture is from an elegant one by Paul Poser, 31 inch swamped 58 caliber barrel by Colerain, Elegant chisled flintlock, handmade by DOC, elegant AAAA European walnut, DST, chisled brass furniture including brass insert in the patchbox lid, elegant carving and engraving. This is a beauty!! POR OBO

The rifle is incise carved from one end to the other, in the Baroque-Georgian-Rococco style popular in the 1750's in Europe.

The flintlock is an elegant thing, just look at the hunting scene on the lockplate. It's smaller than you would expect, only 5 1/2 inches long and one inch wide..

Jaeger's have a reputation of being thick, heavy and clumsy, but this rifle is the antithesis of that statement. It is probably the most functionally elegant flintlock rifle that I've ever built. Not only is it beautiful, but it handles like a dream: quick to the shoulder, the eye right on the sights, the flintlock drips sparks and the touch-hole is properly sunsetted for fastest ignition. I haven't shot it, but it should shoot every bit as good as it looks and holds.

The ramrod pipes are beautifully designed and executed. I just love that gargoyle  on the rear pipe. I think he is sticking out his tongue at the tax man.

The side-lock casting shows a bit of French influence. The French were the leaders in arms design at this time. Their work was greatly admired and widely copied.

The brass castings are exquisitely done, the best quality that I've ever dealt with. Their design is elegant, more than matching the carving and engraving. If you look close, you'll see the French influence here , too.

The barrel is heavily engraved up past the rear sight and around the front sight, in the same elegant Baroque-Georgian- Roccoco mix as the castings.

The incised carving goes all the way up the forestock.

The stock is oil finished. European walnut is known for the elegant black streaking and consistent grain formation. It is very strong yet elegant. The barrel is heavily engraved at the breech up past the rear sight and the muzzle with roccoco scrolling and my signature- quite elegant. The barrel is browned. The lock is antique rust blued. Rubbing  successive coats of oil into the lovely stock has produced a lovely sheen. I wish the photos were better, they don't do the gun justice.  Make me an offer I can't resist.

#580- DOC-built 451 caliber English Sporting rifle with super fancy walnut halfstock, really an elegant piece of wood. You can see that the breech is a Manton with Drip Bar over the traditional flat spring lock. There is a pistol grip and Alexander Henry forearm. The lock is a Henry design too. The Kelly barrel is tapered octagon 30 inches long in 451 caliber with 1-20 twist and shallow 0.035 thou deep grooves,meant for long lubricated White (or Whitworth) type elongated lubricated bullets. These guns are terrific hunting rifles and are capable of 1000 yard target shooting. All furniture is iron, the buttplate is checkered wood, an English whim of the 1860's. There is an under-rib with two ferrules. The barrel is browned, the other iron furniture blued and the stock varnished English style. Sights are a Globe front and English style adjustable  ladder rear- looks much like the adjustable ladder rear Springfield sight that was so popular from the 1850's on. (Springfield copied it from the original English Sporting-Target rifle sights) POR-OBO don't be afraid to make an offer.

.POR

Although this is a beautiful rifle, it was designed to be used. It is extremely functional and ergonomic, every part of it friendly to the user.  The butt is thick and wide to soak up recoil, it fits shooters using either hand without alteration, balance is superb for offhand, sights are adjustable and good for up to 700 yards as is.

Look at all the steel surrounding the nipple. It's the strongest system in the world, bar none. The drip bar above the lock just in front of the bolster gets rid of the weak wood above the lock that you see on Hawkins and the like. The rear sight is the spring loaded ladder type with a sliding adjustable notch-on-bar.

The butt-plate is checkered ebony (wood), The trigger guard comes off by removing the two screws than turning the trigger guard off the plate. It takes 5 turns to get it off. The trigger is single and pulls off at 4 lbs.

POR

The lock is held by a single bolt and the barrel by a single key. The accents are German Silver except for the brass ramrod tip. Weight is about 8 lbs. The rifle throws up to a 520 grain lubricated bullet with terrific accuracy and force. Ballistic Coefficients are up at .300 for fantastic downrange performance. Bullets load slip-fit so second shots are fast yet accurate. These are the best of the traditional muzzleloading rifles.

These Sporting Rifles are truly extrordinary. The barrels were originally designed by Whitworth using a long hexagonal bullet and a fast 1-20 twist. That bullet was later modified by various English designers including Rigby and  Medford, then later by myself, becoming the multi-grooved, round cross section, lubricated bullet used nowadays in Whitworth, RIgby and White rifles. All are capable of astounding long range accuracy and superior down range killing power. I can't claim much in all this- all I did was adapt the Old Masters ideas to modern production techniques. None-the-less, these are the finest, quickest and most powerful modern muzzleloading hunting rifles in the world! 

#582- Dutch inspired Wheelock with authentic lock kit from the Rifle Shoppe and swamped 42 inch barrel in 54 caliber from Colerain. The walnut fullstock is pretty plain but has great grain structure especially through the wrist. Pull is 14". All furniture is iron with a forged trigger guard, double ferrules holding the ramrod and plain fore-end tip. There are two bolts holding the lock in place. The lock is cased a gray-blue and it has front and rear sights. It is amazing how well balanced this rifle is and how well it holds. Manufacturing a wheel-lock from scratch is quite a project.  SOLD

#590- Here is another DOC-built English Sporting Rifle with rather plain but strong grained walnut stock, pistol grip and fancy contrasting wood butt plate, English style. The butt  is checkered in the English fashion. It sports a traditional flat spring Henry percussion sidelock to fit the heavy metal Manton breech, plus drip bar, which gets rid of the weak wood just in front of the lock. There is a single fore-end key in silver ovals to complement the Henry fore-end tip. It has a single set trigger which will fire the rifle set or un-set, an under-rib with double steel ferrules and adjustable tall Vernier long range rear sight with Lyman front sight (with interchangable apertures) to match the Kelley 451 caliber 1-18 twist shallow groove barrel. The grooves are 0.035 thou deep, designed to use 500+ grain White/Whitworth style long lubricated bullets capable of 1000 yard target as well as closer ranged hunting. All the superlatives applied to the #580 and #581 Sporting Rifles above also apply to this one, except for the plainer walnut, and it has the advantage of the Single Set trigger, which is a nice feature. This is a great combination hunting-target rifle, exactly what is was designed for.. POR  Make an offer, we listen.

The barrel is a lustrous deep brown while the lock, tang, trigger and trigger guard are a deep hot blue. The walnut has been finished with penetrating oil under varnish. The wood is not very lovely but it is strong and close grained.

The vernier rear sight is tall enough for 1000 yard shooting. It folds out of the way, either forward or backward. It was made by Pedersoli and adjusts in all directions. The single Set trigger will fire the rifle with a 4 lb. pull if not set, it can be adjusted down to an ounce if set. 

All screws are fire blued, as is the forearm wedge. The ramrod is hickory with a brass tip, drilled and tapped for assessories. The Lyman front sight comes with about a dozen different configurations of inserts.

 #593- Doc-built Mid-Eastern Bench/ Over-the-Log gun, new super-accurate stored GRRW barrel 58 caliber 1 1/4" between flats. Barrel  is 36" long,  Stock sports strong grained perch-belly walnut stock with double keys in silver surrounds, Manton hooked breech with drip bar for easy cleaning, DST fires set or unset, Blued steel furniture including checkered iron buttplate. Weighs right on 14 lbs. GRRW barrels have always been super accurate. They were because the rifling cutter was also used to shave the lands. This rifle should be a match winner at any range.  SOLD

There is no under-rib or ramrod, since the rifle is obviously meant for target work.  They could be added, if wanted.

The screws will end up polished and blued. The German silver escutcheons will get a shiny polish. The stock deserves a few more coats of varnish. I like John Biven's old stock finish system for later percussion rifles. It pretty well matches the early finishes.

#594 English Heavy 8 Bore (83 cal) Sporting Rifle  by DOC, tapered octagon to round barrel by Rayl 36 inches long, slow twist for patched round ball, heavy figured walnut especially selected for stregnth of grain through wrist, checkered wrist, broad iron buttplate, English butt with low cheekpiece, Henry percussion flat spring lock with drip bar, single trigger, double ramrod ferrules on iron under-rib, 2 leaf rear sight, all iron furniture, weight about 12 lbs. Meant for Big Stuff. POR

#595- Doc-built side by side 20 bore double flintlock smoothbore rifle, barrels tapered octagon to round, low rifle sights, side by side flintlocks, double trigger, rear trigger actuates left lock, front trigger does the right lock, lock panels tapered to the rear with inset locks for excellent grip conformation, double keys surrounded by silver ovals, barrels regulated for stout loads with patched round ball, can shoot shot loads as well. POR

#596- Doc-built 16 bore side by side flintlock fowler, fancy walnut with correct grain in the wrist and fancy figure in the butt, classic proportions, Egg flintlocks, double hooked breech, lock panels tapered to the rear, steel furniture, silver trim, checkered grip, regulated to shoot patched ball as well as shot. Seen here squared up to finale dimensions, with  barrels and breech plus the right hand lock in place. SOLD

Here you see the fowler in the square, with breeching, barrels and locks installed. The breeches for each barrel with hook and the tang to fit have to be hand made.  

#598 Lighter Hawken percussion half stock rifle by DOC. Plain Plus walnut stock. Green Mountain barrel in 50 caliber, 1" diameter, 32" long, 1-66 twist for patched round ball. Absolutely traditional in every way. 14 inch pull. All iron furniture. Silver trim. All the Hawken features you have come to expect, like double bolted wrist, long bar DST which fires set or unset, long tang, double keys in silver surrounds, stout 7/16th inch ramrod, double ferrules on soldered rib, silver nose cap. Barrel and most furniture  browned, lock  finished antique blue, barrel will be marked 'S Hawken- St. Louis', my GBW cipher is found on the rear oblique of the barrel, the GRRW logo, which I have owned since '72,  is located on the bottom flat of the barrel.   POR. Make me an offer!

#599 Sporty Hawken rifle by Doc in 54 caliber with fancy AAAA tiger striped maple stock, Green Mountain barrel 1" diameter X 32" long, 1-66 twist for patched round ball. Iron furniture with silver trim,  trigger guard has the occasionally seen spur.  14 inch pull.  Hawken features  like double bolted wrist, long bar DST which fires set or unset, long tang, double keys in silver surrounds, stout 7/16th inch ramrod, double ferrules on soldered rib, silver nose cap. Barrel, lock and most furniture is browned,  barrel is marked S Hawken- St. Louis on the top flat. My GBW cipher is found on the bottom of the barrel along with GRRW markings. Absolutely traditional in every way. For sale as is, or finished, later.  Classic Hawken features throughout. POR

You can see the quality of the maple, the tiger stripe goes pretty well from end to end. The maple was liberally soaked in a drying oil, then finished with multiple coats of tough Bivin's varnish.

The more stain, the better the tiger stripe shows up. There are multiple coats of Laurel Mountain Forge stain here. I experiment with color as the sanding process goes forward, applying stain, evaluating, then sanding off the stain using progressively finer grades of paper. Sometimes I can get it right if I try hard.

You will note that the screws and silver furniture are not yet finished. It's because I got excited about taking pictures of the fancy wood and forgot. The screws will all end up polished then fire blued, the silver accents will be polished bright.

The conformation of this Hawken is typical of the lighter ones seen, mostly originally sold for local use in the Missouri woods rather than the heavy use seen in the plains and mountains of the far West. In 54 caliber, it will be plenty useful for anything up to elk size with adequate loads.

#600 Bridger Hawken 58 caliber by  DOC, AAA maple stock, tapered Kelly barrel 32 inches long  with 1-72 twist for patched round ball , Classic Bridger Hawken conformation with all the minor details exactly right, copies the Hawken that belonged to Bridger now in the collection of the Montana State Historical Society, and which GRRW had in a local Bank's safe for several years while they copied it for production. Doc designed the master for the stock carving during his GRRW years. All iron furniture including fore-end cap, silver trim, adjustable step rear sight, long bar DST double bolted to tang, this is an as-close-as-you -can-get-copy of the original Bridger rifle, none finer available.  This should be a superb hunting rifle, none better. POR OBO

The top barrel flat is marked, 'S Hawken  St. Louis" in one line just like the original. The bottom of the barrel is stamped with GreenRiver RifleWorks, Roosevelt, Utah and Doc's GBW stamp in there too.

The original GRRW stamps are in DOC's possession and contrary to what many think, DOC never sold the full Green River RifleWorks name. 

#603- French Fusil  C grade, 20 bore with 40 inch Colerain octagon to round barrel, gorgeous AAA maple stock with fierce tiger stripe , all fancy brass furniture. Made for shooting ball but can handle shot as well. Very graceful, well balanced and quick in the hand, much lighter than you would think. The French were in the forefront of arms design as early as the late 1600's. This design surfaced in the 1700's and was imported by the shipload. It was a favorite on the Eastern frontier.  It's now at trackpfthewolf.com, get in touch with them if you want to buy it.

This hunting gun is equipped with an interchangable Colonial brand choke, the one in it now  is a super-full, but it comes with a choke bore insert as well, so you can shoot ball if you want, or shoot tight patterns at turkeys like I did with it. When the 2009 turkey season loomed, I got a bee in my bonnet (Scotch ancestry) and threw this gun together, didn't get the metal completely browned nor the maple past the stain stage, did finish the lock, (which is blued and a fantastic sparker). I fired two shots at a turkey target for pattern purposes. getting 9-12 head and neck hits at 30 yards with 1 1/2 oz #7 nickel  plated shot over 90 gr Swiss fffg, the next four shots killed toms from 25 to 44 yards. I called one tom within three feet, then jumped up and killed him on the run at 33 yards as he tried to escape. The brag is not in the good shooting but in how fast the gun was to the shoulder, light and quick. It's a fine hunting gun. It's no wonder the Eastern Indian liked it so much, to the delight of the French traders and the agony of the British. After the season, I finished the gun, it's ready to complete your Eastern Indian or French Voyager persona, or take turkey hunting next spring.

#610- Springfield 1835 musket- standard military dimensions and finish, 69 caliber smooth-bore, all top quality parts. This fine gun is now at Track Of The  Wolf. Their photography is wonderful! GoTo trackofthewolf.com, click on 'guns', then 'military guns' and scroll through the pages to find it.

The barrel came from Colerain, the lock parts and other castings from the Rifle Shoppe, the wood from Dunlap. 

The perfect musket for an early Southern recruit in the first battles of the Civil War. There were many flint muskets used early on and were favored by many. They were faster than a percussion musket simply because you didn't have to fish out and fit a cap to make it fire. Perfect for the Battle of Bull Run on the Southron side.

#611- J S Pauley traditional inline pistol by DOC. Pauley invented the in-line percussion action just 4 years after Forsyth invented the percussion system. This gun is based on the White inline action in 50 cal with a swamped barrel in 1-24 twist rifling for patched round ball or bullet. Brass furniture, Doc designed side lock safety mounted where the frizzen used to be, second safety on the hammer handle itself (rotates up into a lock notch, false hammer cocks the inline hammer. AAAA maple full-stock.  Front sight is a blade, rear sight is screw adjustable for elevation.  Marked  Pauley-London' on lock plate.   Uses a #11 cap. POR

  There are three English style ferrules for the ramrod, the trigger guard is also very English. The barrel is 8 inches long, swamped in 504 caliber with 1-20 twist, just right for patched round ball in a pistol. 

The balance in the extended hand is pretty good, probably due to the swamped barrel. The trigger pull is light and quite soft and is adjustable. The rear sight is low and adjustable, the front  blade is soldered on, as original.  White .504 cal barrels have proven to be very accurate with 20-30 gr FFFg and a 490-495 ball with .010-.015 patch. You will also be able to shoot White slip fit .503 bullets, the 400 grain being preferable with up to 80 gr. powder, or the   White PowerStar 300 0r 435 grain saboted bullet with same load. It will kick hard but be very effective on whitetail deer. I once killed a 154 B&C whitetail with that load in a pistol of my design.

The brass sideplate is engraved with a rampant dragon. 

#612- English influenced Lancaster style traditional flintlock pistol with fast twist rifled brass barrel by GRRW in 58 caliber. As far as I know, this is the only brass barrel GRRW ever made. AAA maple stock with brass furniture including grotesque mask butt cap. Round faced English flintlock by L&R, single trigger. acorn trigger guard, low rear and front sights done in the traditional manner, a modest amount of Lancasterish carving. The barrel rear is heavily engraved with more engraving on the trigger guard. This pistol is now at trackofthewolf.com. Go there to buy it.

The carving is similar to that seen on Lancaster rifles.  There is a stand of arms engraved on the sideplate.  My signature is found  in script on the top flat of the barrel.

The detail on the pistol is decidedly elegant. Note the low rear sight at the front of the tang.  POR OBO

This pistol is now located at 'trackofthewolf.com.' Please goto their website, click on 'guns,' then 'flintlock pistols' and scroll down to find it. Deal with them if you want to buy.

#613- French Dragoon pistol, a very traditional military 20 bore smoothbore personal sidearm, issued by the French, perfect for a Revolutionary persona. Photos will follow as it finishes. POR

 #617- Wender rollover flintlock rifle, 3/4 inch octagon barrels, 36 rifled and 45 smoothbore. Classy 4A maple stock, 2 pieces of coarse

This should be a great small game gun, from squirrels to turkey.

#618- Snaphaunce Lemon Butt 20 bore smoothbore pistol, just the thing for your 1600's persona. Miles Standish probably carried one.

    #621 Early Fullstock Percussion Hawken rifle, 50 caliber, one inch octagon GreenMountain barrel 40 inches long, great-grained but plainer walnut fullstock, traditional engraved flat spring lock signed S Hawken, double-bolted long tang, Hawken percussion breech with flat-to-the-wrist trigger guard mounted on long DST bar. Traditional in every sense of the word. 

The furniture is iron except the German silver key surrounds. There are three flat keys. The DST fires set or unset.  The sights are a Modena style rear and G. silver blade front on a brass base. There is an iron Modena style patchbox.  This will make a superb hunting rifle.

The top flat of the barrel is marked S Hawken St. Louis. My GBW cipher is on the bottom flat.

#622  Bridger style half stock Hawken rifle in 69 caliber, beautiful 1 1/8 X 1" , 36" long taper barrel by Rayl, best quality parts, plainer AA maple stock purposefully selected with grain running through the wrist for strength, traditional double bolted long tang and long bar DST, double fore-end keys, as well as strictly traditional Hawken breeching and lock. Side opener iron patch box (not shown-coming later), silver trim. Long bar Hawken rear adjustable sight. Front sight and fore-end cap missing- coming later. Very handsome, modeled on the Bridger Hawken rifle that GRRW had here in town for a few years back in the 1970's.

#623 Gemmer-Springfield trapdoor rifle in 40-65 caliber built on 1869 black powder only action with new octagon 40-65 barrel by Kelly. AAA grade Bridger Hawken style stock with iron furniture and silver trim. You can see that the hammer nose needs some forge work. . More photos to follow as the rifle makes progress.

After Jake Hawken died of the Cholera and Sam eventually retired, their shop was purchased by Gemmer, who continued making rifles in the Hawken tradition. When cartridge guns came to dominate the frontier, he added  custom rifles, like the reproduction illustrated below, with distinctly Hawken features. There are only a few known. An original will cost you a fortune.

The photo shows classic Hawken conformation: Long bar DST double bolted to long tang,  double fore-stock keys with silver roundels, long decorative adjustable Hawken rear sight, beavertail cheek-peice for right handed shooter, double steel pipes on a soldered  under-rib, 9the pipes are silver soldered to the rib, the rib is silver-lead soldered to the barrel- just like the originals), scroll trigger guard., all with trapdoor Springfield action added, with hooked breech for easy take-down. The barrel plus action are 36 inches long, the octagon barrel tapers to .950 at the muzzle from 1.10 at the breech, weight is about 9 lbs, pull is 14 inches.

This will give you a hint as to what the walnut stock will look like, nice figure in the butt, good close tight grain. Note that many of the features that we call Hawken are really English- copied from the fancy London made English sporting guns that were brought over by English sportsman and which the Hawken brothers  popularized on the western frontier. About the only features that are not English are the deeply curved buttplate and the double set trigger, both of which are distinctly American.

#624 Doc built English Sporting RIfle 451 caliber, used but in great condition. Douglas 451 barrel in perfect condition, mounted in Red English finished laminate  straight gripped stock with inch thick butt pad. Traditional flat springed percussion lock with heavy but handsome Manton style percussion breech. Very accurate, capable of long range shooting. DST can be finely tuned. Best load is 70 grains Pyrodex-P and a 460 grain White or No Excuse slip-fit bullet. I watched this rifle take down a good sized sheep at 125 yards one day. The critter went over like a tree and hardly wiggled. This is a great hunting rifle capable of target work.

This rifle started life years ago as a prototype for White Systems, but never was accepted so never came into production. As such, it is one of a kind. It came back into my hands through a trade up to a more expensive fancy rifle.

There is a long tang for mounting a tall Vernier sight if wanted. The black finish is Black Ice Teflon, perfectly waterproof. The finish on the wood is a clear two part epoxy which is likewise waterproof and very scratch resistant.

#655- 45/70 Double Rifle rebarreled by DOC, originally started life as a high quality German 20 gauge double shotgun. It has the best of actions, with double lug underbite and fits up as tight as my banker. It has yet to be regulated, ribs are not in place. It's been a fun project. Watch for more pics as it gets done.

#656- Volunteer Baker Infantry Rifle, 62 caliber Colerain barrel 36 inches long as seen in Britiswh Military Flintlock Rifles. Original Tower marked lock, single trigger, Baker furniture with bayonet lug. The walnut is beautiful. The rifle is a bit larger and bulkier than Baker issue rifle, with a 36" instead of 30" barrel and a fancier stock with lots of color. The walnut  is also dense and hard. The iron ramrod is capped with a brass trumpet, there are three instead of two brass thimbles, the fore two with trumpet motif, thumb piece, two leaf long range sights and patch box. There will be a padded leather cheek rest on the left side of the buttstock. The leather check rest is very traditional on high quality British rifles and is also seen in BMFR

Note the bayonet lug on the right side of the muzzle. The issue item was a short sword bayonet- it could be used as either sword or bayonet and gave the volunteer a bit of extra length against cavalry..

Late, late original British military flintlock, dated 1835. Designed for use on a short Cavalry rifle but widely sold for use by para-military units who supplied their own arms at their own expense. Note the absence of an outside frizzen spring. Spring loading of the frizzen is supplied by mainspring pressure through a transfer bar inside the plate. The lock is probably worth more than the rest of the rifle, finished. It is a wonderful sparker. By far the best I have ever seen.

The patch-box, thumb plate, muzzle cap and trigger guard match issue items, but the sideplate is a bit fanciful, with a custom tail. This  is a wonderful rifle for your British Volunteer Rifle Unit persona, even though you lose the Battle of New Orleans.

#657-J P Beck flintlock repro. Barrel is a 50 caliber swamped Colerain, flintlock is a Chambers, Maple is AAA. There will be lots of carving and engraving. I love Beck's work, it's a real pleasure to have him as a mentor. More photos as it finishes.

#658-  Fusil de Chasse in 16 gauge (67 caliber), smoothbore of course. AAA maple which the pics don't show well at all, will have fruitwood finish, classic French brass furniture, early classic flintlock without stirrup. still missing pipes and front sight as well as silver thumbpeice and final finish. Your Courier de Bois or Eastern Indian persona will be tickled with it.

#659- Baker Ordnance Carbine with a 62 caliber tapered Colerain barrel in 62 caliber, a mix of brass Baker and Land pattern carbine furniture, flat faced Baker flintlock. A very interesting traditional variation on the Baker theme. More photos to follow as it finishes.

#660- Andrew Vernor flintlock rifle with 50 cal 7/8ths octagon barrel, with classic Vernor incised carving, patchbox and engraving.

#661- 8 bore percussion double smooth rifle, that's 83 caliber, in a beautiful, close-grained, very solid walnut stock, meant to shoot a 2 oz. ball at truly big stuff. Barrels are 24 inches long, side by side, will be regulated to hit at 25 yards, weight will come out at about 12+ lbs. Should be a grand back up gun for the 8 Bore rifle above. I even bought a Led-Sled just so I could regulate this one.

#6620- 4 bore flintlock shotgun with tapered octagon-round barrel by Rayl, lovely walnut with grain just right through the wrist, English Trade flintlock, all steel furniture, weight will come out near 12 lbs. Meant to shoot 2+ oz. shot or a 4 oz. ball, which is what Selous did in Africa on elephant. He had one very much like this in his early years. He carried a sack of powder on one side and a sack of balls on the other, most shots at 15 yards or so. He writes of loading powder by the fistful.

#663- Over-Under percussion double 20 gauge X 50 caliber rifle (round ball), original back action locks, double triggers, regulated so ball from either barrel will center at 50 yards, usable with shot in the 20 gauge barrel as well.

#664- Over-under percussion rifle in .451 X .451 caliber for White slip fit bullets, regulated to strike center at 100 yards, original back action locks, double triggers, all iron furniture.

#665- Flintlock drilling with side by side 20 gauge shot barrel on the right, 50 caliber round ball rifle barrel on the left and 36 caliber round ball rifle barrel underneath. Yes the flintlock for the under barrel will be upside down, which works surprizingly well.. All iron furniture. All three barrels regulated to center at 50 yards.

#666- Classic lightweight side by side double flintlock fowler in 20 gauge. The walnut looks pretty ugly here but is pretty underneath all that grime and stain. Manton flintlocks, double triggers, single fore-end key, less than 7 lbs. Iron furniture with a touch of silver.

#667- Dutch Officers Fusil in 16 gauge (67 caliber) with unique chisled brass furniture, very nice walnut with slight underbelly and forearm swell, chisled flintlock, octagon-round barrel by Colerain 40 inches long, sling swivels. Watch for photos as it finishes.

This lock is as beautiful as they get. It has an internal bridle but lacks one on the frizzen. A large shouldered screw assures good fit and function for the frizzen. This military arm is a copy of one made just before the Revolutionary War. It will be the perfect longarm for an American patriot of Dutch descent going up against the British. No shooting 'til you can see the white's of their eyes!!

#668- Classic 12 x 12 flintlock double fowler, 28 inch barrels, Egg flintlocks tapered to the rear for a narrow wrist, double triggers, blued steel and brass furniture, cherry stock.

#669- Dutch 8 bore doglock fowler with 50 inch long barrel by Rayl, early Dutch doglock, brass furniture, Dutch influenced relief carving, the perfect piece for a re-enactor from Hoboken

The Dutch imported lots of arms in early America, many of surprisingly high quality for the time. This early lock is very well designed. Despite the lack of internal or external bridles, it should be an excellent sparker and provide centuries of service. It helps that it's made of modern steels. Note that the frizzen spring has a very early, wheel-lockish appearane.

#670- Snaphaunce fowler in 12 gauge in the style of the Forbes fowler that came over on the Mayflower. All iron furniture, forged trigger guard, unique safety included on the lock.

Here is something you just can't do with an ordinary flintlock: see below

The hammer (cock) is  full cocked and the frizzen (steel) in the firing position with the sliding pan cover closed. The thig-a-ma-gig on the lockplate just above the trigger is a safety. It is shown pulled back and up so it locks the sear and the gun will not fire. Push it forward and down to release the trigger. An additional safety is built into the design of the lock: you can cock it, close the sliding pan cover with priming in place, then lift the steel (frizzen) off the cover and throw it forward out of the way of the cock.  To shoot, snap the steel back into place on the pan cover and pull the trigger. The falling cock knocks the pan cover forward and uncovers the priming. Note the horizontal sear nose sticking out of the lockplate just behind and under the tail of the cock min the photo on the right below.

Above is a view of the internals of the lock. It looks complicated and it is. It needs that fat mainspring to make it operate. Right above is the lock in the fired position.

I had a few flintlocks to repair and assemble, just could not resist  putting this big snaphaunce together. As you can see, it is much more complicated than a classic flintlock, but is far easier to tune than a wheel-lock. The snaphaunce shares some of the features of a wheel-lock, mainly the horizontal sear & trigger mechanism and the sliding pan cover.  It also features  the two separate safety systems illustrated above. SOLD

#671- Early English doglock fowler by Cookson in 12 gauge, ca. 1700 or so. Tapered octagon-round barrel by Colerain, Dutch influenced brass furniture and stock design, nice close grained walnut with a little striping and great grain structure, many early features. This is a great turkey gun, it was designed to be a hunting gun, so has  a Colonial brand  inter-changable thin-wall choke installed, so you can shoot either tight shot patterns or solid ball by changing the choke tube. I like a .690 extra-full for turkey and use a .725 open choke tube for solid ball.  Thought I had it sold buy the buyer didn't come through so it's back on the market. POR-OBO

You're going to get this one used by the way. It went turkey hunting with me in  April and has already tasted blood.  It holds like a trap gun, indeed modeled the drop of the stock off my favorite Winchester 101 Trap. Put the tip of the front sight just under the Tom's chin. 75% first shot patterns with my recommended load of 100 gr. ffg black powder and #7 shot. If you use a .660 choke, which I can supply you with, you can get 85-90% pattterns.

The 'dog' or safety catch, is located right behind the cock. It provides an additional safety measure with this lock as it has a safety catch  cut into the tumbler. Most doglocks do not, so this one is likely a johnney- come- lately. Note the lack of bridles for the tumbler inside the lock and for the frizzen on the outside.  Both are early features, very early in the 1700's.  The pic on the right above shows what I mean by 'turkey gun', killed 4-11-2010 in Texas.

This is what the lock looks like in the gun. One thing about these big locks- they spark really well. Note the three big headed screws that hold the lock in place over the dragon sideplate, which I haven't engraved yet. Use your imagination a little: reduce the size and caliber of the gun, deepen the trigger guard so you can get a mitten into it during the winter and make it out of sheet iron to reduce costs, keep the dragon sideplate, modernize the lock a touch and you have a Northwest trade gun. It is thought that this early fowler was indeed the predecessor of those handy lightweight hunting guns that were so popular in the northern American forests.

The front of the trigger guard is pinned, the rear is screwed down, neither end is inletted,  just like the original. The lock is shown above in the 'dogged' position. This position is halfway between the notched 'safety' and the fully cocked position, which takes the weight of the 3/4 cocked 'cock' or hammer off the 'safety' notch. When the 'cock' is cycled to the rear to the fully cocked position, the 'cock' knocks the 'dog' out of the way so it doesn't interfere with the fall of the 'cock'

#672- Wheelock with original lock by Zelner made about 1550 in Austria,  swamped 54 caliber barrel by Colerain, DST, handsome European walnut stock, chisled brass furniture including a brass patch box cover, lots of carving and engraving to match the baroque lock. More photos to follow as it finishes. This is a special project. I have had the lock for 35 years, the wood for at least 10, and finally have acquired enough skill to attempt the  project.

This original lock is by Zelner who made guns in Austria in the 1500's.  The lock dates from probably the late part of that century. He was a well known maker. The lock is likely more valuable without the rifle I'm going to append it to- just can't help myself- the artistic challenge is too great.

#673- 10 bore double side by side fowler, 32 inch barrels, beautiful piece of walnut, later goose neck flintlocks with panels nicely tapering to the rear, double triggers, all steel furniture finished antique blue or brown.

#674- 10 bore double side by side fowler, longer barrels at 38 inches, walnut nicely configures with elegant sweep through the wrist, late double throat flintlocks with panels tapering to the rear for a slimmer wrist, double stock keys, iron scroll trigger guard, wide iron buttplate, double fore-end keys.

#675- Doc made Pauley double side by side rifle 504 caliber for heavy White slip fit bullets, AAA walnut with great grain structure and strength,  stainless steel barrels and actions, coil mainsprings, copies Pauley's 1812 patent for the very first inline rifle, uses #11 or musket caps (for dangerous game), double triggers, all iron mounts and furniture, double safety with one incorporated in the separate cocking handles and another controlling both barrels (locks the sear) with thumb control adjustable for either left or right side. Pauley's hammers are false and are used to cock the in-line hammer. The triggers are Doc's invention, only improving on Pauley's concept.

This rifle is meant for big loads with big bullets for use on big, dangerous game. 150 grains 777 or Pyrodex P plus a 600 (+) grain bullet recommended. There are double recoil lugs to hold that recoil, plus hooked breeches for easy access and cleaning.

#676- Flintlock double fowler in 16 gauge with original nitro proofed barrels with full and modified chokes. Stock is lightweight cherry with good grain structure. Furniture brass with a bit of French influence. Double triggers actuate the Egg locks. Lock panels are tapered to the rear for a small grip.

#677-Sporting Rifle with White round tapered barrel in 504 caliber, quilted maple stock,  'Prince of Wales" style round knob grip, classic Manton breech with long tang, under-rib with two ferrules still in the future, steel furniture, sling swivels, red rubber recoil pad and rose-wood tipped Henry style fore-arm, a solid gun meant for the dedicated hunter. The maple is stained English Red and varnished in the classic style. The stainless steel is finished with gloss black GunKote. This a is a good example of a Sporting Rifle meant for serious hunting. SOLD

There are still a few screws to blue and silver to polish but could not help putting the photos up, that maple is soooo handsome.

This rifle is going to a Pilgrim whose current address is Iraq. I guess a tour there is a Pilgramage of sorts, if you think sand bags and Chobham armor are sacred.. 

#684- Parts and Pieces for a Southern (Tennessee) Mountain rifle. Ultra slim Ash stock with all iron furniture, DST, 13/16" 45 caliber Douglas barrel 40 inches long, small Manton lock, (Southerners liked British imports), bannana patchbox. POR OBO

The Lollipop tang, sights, pipes, sideplate and nosecap are so far missing. The stock will be stained a deep brown to match the browned iron furniture. No reflection wanted while hunting the deep woods.

#686 - Doc built lightweight Sporting Rifle in 451 caliber with 1-20 twist, shallow  .035 grooves for White/Whitworth elongated, multi-channelured slip-fit bullets, same as the modern in-line White 451 rifles shoot.. Barrel is 7/8th inch octagon, 30 inches long with Manton Breech and drip bar so typical of English Sporting-Target rifles. Good looking walnut, all steel furniture except the silver key surrounds. Barrel will be browned, all other steel antique blued. Currently lacks the drip bar and the cap box that fits the butt plate. Weighs 7 lbs., just right for a sheep hunt. Watch for more pics as the project developes.

#687- Here you see the beginnings of a Doc-built Ausbruck Jaeger in 62 caliber, the model that was brought over by the Hessians during the Revolution. The barrel is 28 inches long and swamped, by Colerain. The lock will a traditional German design, all the bress furniture is copied from an original. It will be the perfect rifle for your Hessian persona, marvelously effective in the trenches at Yorktown.

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#688- Here are the beginnings of a slim Lancaster style rifle by Melchoir Fordney. AAAA Maple stock, all traditional hardware and flintlock. Barrel is a GRRW 13/16" octagon  X 50 caliber. Fordney was the master of incised carving. We will attempt to duplicate his expertise. 

#689- Doc built repro of early Lehigh Valley rifle by Rupp.  The barrel is a 'B' weight Colerain in 50 caliber, 44" long. The maple is tigered from one end to the other. The flintlock will be a Chambers. The furniture for the rifle is seen below the stock.

The buttplate is 2 inches wide not including the built in lip for the patch box.  The trigger guard is early classic Rupp, wide and just fitting a single curled trigger. The sideplate has that classic arrow on its back end, almost a signature of Rupp's work. There will be a modest amount of carving and engraving. The early Lehigh guns tended to be plainer than the later ones.

#690 Green River RifleWorks Leman Trade Rifle in 45 caliber. Originally built by Bill Mckay of GRRW, later refurbished by DOC. His 'GBW' cipher is found at the rear of the barrel. McKays 'Mc' is found in pencil in the barrel channel near the pewter tip. There is a GRRW barrel with 7 deep grooves, 1-66 twist, it appears pristine, looks to have been fired very little if at all. The maple stock is plain as a yard of pumpwater, as were many of the Leman trade guns. The lock is by Kern (used only on the first 1000 of this series rifle by GRRW), single trigger with very nice pull-off, all sand cast brass furniture typical of the early GRRW production, graceful pewter fore-end tip. TENTATIVELY SOLD

There are a few scuff marks from long storage  that can barely be seen on stock and barrel. You have to look close to find them. There is a tiny fracture line that does not penetrate the wood near the left fore-arm oval and another on the left side of the tang that does. That one has been repaired with two-tube pine pitch (epoxy). It appears to be quite solid.

DOC has done a beautiful job refurbishing the rifle. It appears almost new. It was originally made in 1974. 

This is a pretty plain rifle, but the barrel is as new, the refurbish job masterful and the conformation perfect. I guess it should be. DOC designed the rifle and built the first 60 of them by hand in 1972.

#691- Here is a lovely Maryland rifle, much in the John Armstrong tradition but left handed. It is 50 caliber with a 'B' sized swamped barrel 44 inches long. It was taken in on trade.  You can find it at 'Trackofthewolf.com', who has even better photos than these. SOLD

The iron of the barrel and lock is finished a lovely antique bluish-brown- polished and smooth. The carving is delicately and finely done. The maker was obviously a superb craftsman. It is not signed.

The finish on the wood harkens back to old times. The brass is perfectly antiqued. You can almost smell the wood smoke and sweat. The lock is a Chambers left handed. It sparks with enthusiasm.

There's not much engraving, but the quality matches that of the carving. It might be sparse, but it is delightfully traditional. Too bad we're not all left handed.

There is a patch box release in the toe plate. You can see it right in the middle of the engraved flower. Push it and the patch box lid pops up. The trigger is single, correctly so, too.

There is a grand harmony to this gun seen but in few others.

#693 Doc built Lehigh rifle by Rupp, done later in Rupp's long career

#694- Lehigh rifle by famous maker Dubbs

#695- The beginnings of a Baker Infantry Rifle

#696-A good start on a Lancaster style rifle by Peter Gonter

#697 Doc built English Sporting rifle for elongated Whitworth/White .451 bullet, the 'smallbore' of the late percussion long range shooting days, but up to a 520 grain high BC slip-fit bullet. 1-18 twist with shallow .035 rifling. Manton style breech with Henry lock and drip bar. Iron furniture with cap box and fore-end tip, single set trigger, long range sights, round knob pistol grip, under-rib and ferrules. German silver key roundels and side plate.

#699- DOC-built English Sporting-Target Mid-Range Rifle in .368 caliber for 300 grain elongated high BC lubricated slip-fit bullet. Has a Wind River gain twist barrel, Manton style English breech with short tang. Mid-range rear ladder peep is not shown but front Globe sight is. Also seen is a Henry percussion lock with drip bar, a single set trigger, and all iron furniture including butt plate with cap box and trigger guard. Fore-end will be contrasting ebony. There will be a round-knob pistol grip with checkering. Key roundels and side-plate are German silver.

#700 Here's a start on a very early all iron mounted Brown Bess musket, ca: 1720. Tower marked lock, wooden ramrod, very nice chunk of solid grained walnut, entirely traditional.

                   Coming sometime (sooner or later) in no order of appearance

Brown Bess flintlock musket. long land pattern, classic brass fittings.

Several Double flintlock fowlers in 12, 16  and 20 gauge

.615 cal double percussion African rifle for 900 grain SuperSlug

.730 cal percussion double African rifle for 1200 grain SuperSlug

Brown Bess re-stocked Hudson Valley style

Hawken rifle in  62  caliber

1795 US flintlock musket

Short Fergusson turn-breech flintlock sporter

1842 Southern Palmetto percussion musket 69 smooth-bore

Several Dimmick St Louis rifles

Several Dutch fowlers

Pair of lightened Ruger Old Army percussion pistols with custom octagon barrels, fluted cylinders

Three barreled percussion drilling, 2 above 50 cal, tight twist for slug, 12 ga. under barrel for shot

1816 flintlock 69 cal musket with original restored lockplate

French & Indian War rifle 62 cal. rifled with mixed French/English furniture

3 barreled percussion Wender in 12 smoothbore, 62 and 40 rifled

Cadet Rifle with original military rolling block action and barrel 50-55 Carbine

Cadet 1830'S flintlock musket 58 cal. smoothbore 

Olympic style percussion target pistol with Hamilton in line action

1/3 scale cannon by Norman Wiard

5/8 scale breechloading cannon by Whitworth

Virginia rifle restocked with mostly original parts

Leman fullstiock flintlock rifle with original Leman barrel

Schuetzen 10 lb target rifle

several 1895 Mauser bolt action rifles for heavy bullets and BT209 powder

Griffin 12 bore flintlock fowler

Griffin 62 caliber flintlock Gentleman's Rifle

Hagerstown Hawken flintlock

Break open 12 bore double percussion shotgun

10 bore Colonial doglock fowler

12 smoothbore X 69 rifled side by side double flintlock

pair 62 caliber percussion & flintlock round ball double rifles

69 caliber percussion round ball double rifle

69 caliber short fullstock Jaeger flintlock double rifle

Kentucky stocked BB gun

Beyer flintlock rifle

Short English flintlock sporting rifle 58 cal.

Fusil Fin

flintlock mortar gun for tennis balls

Southern perc rifle leftie with original Golcher lock

Several percussion Wender rifles

English 12 gauge half stock flint fowler

Several heavy caliber Plains pistols

NorthWest gun in 12 gauge

Elegant chisled Jaeger by Poser

Edward Marshall rifle 62 caliber

 doglock pistol

Kings German Legion rifle

British Seargeant's carbine 62 cal

Nock Volley gun in 45 caliber

7 barrel goose gun in 32 caliber