• Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Gunbuilding Books

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Paul R

40 Cal.
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Messages
224
Reaction score
0
It's time to improve my library. I've seen references to a couple good sources of information on ML building, but I'll be darned if I can figure how to search or find the ones mentioned. The Gunsmith of Grenville County (IIRC) and one other one I've seen mentioned come to mind. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Paul
 
You can get the Gunsmith of Grenville on e-bay if you are willing to pay 300+ bucks for it. :shocked2:
Woody
 
Gunsmithing Tips and Projects has some excellent articles by John Bivins in it on a variety of subjects and would be highly recommended. I believe it is out of print, but probably can still be found.

I like the Gunsmith of Grenville County and never have really understood why it gets such a negative view by so many readers, but it has now unfortunately become more expensive than most would pay. Recreating the American Longrifle, and Brockway's book on recreating English Shotguns are also very good books. I have Dixons book, but don't like it as much as some of the others, but it is still good to have. A very early book called the Modern Kentucky Rifle might still be available and is a good basic outline of steps and used to be quite cheap.

Though not specific to muzzleloading arms, Howe's The Modern Gunsmith, plus the books by both Baker and Dunlap are excellent resources. I find myself constantly going back to these books for information as they are incredibly complete and useful to many branches of the trade. I have many others that make for interesting reading.
 
I like The Gunsmith of Greenville County and always have it real handy when I'm working on a gun. I do some things differently than suggested but overall I have found it to be a real big help. It is supposed to be re-released and I've heard rumors that may finally happen this coming summer. I hope so. Also, don't forget Mike Brooks' excellent tutorial on this site.
 
I think the Grenville book can be a useful source as many good gunsmiths have shared some good information with Alexander. You do need to learn to read over the non-essential junk, opinions, egos, etc.
 
I'd highly recommend Recreating the American Longrifle by Buchele, Schumway and Alexander. It's a wonderful, thoroughly useful reference book you could use forever. I bought my copy online at Amazon but I've also seen them on eBay.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I corresponded with the author and they are not going to reprint "Gunsmith of Grenville County". He said sometime this year they are in the works of doing a 2nd edition with some more info and a few changes here and there. I hate to have to wait. My ex-wife has my copy of the original held hostage. :nono:

Has anyone used any of these by Susanne Warren-Bicio?
http://www.historicalarmsmaker.com/publications.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kmolett said:
I corresponded with the author and they are not going to reprint "Gunsmith of Grenville County". He said sometime this year they are in the works of doing a 2nd edition with some more info and a few changes here and there. I hate to have to wait. My ex-wife has my copy of the original held hostage. :nono:

Has anyone used any of these by Susanne Warren-Bicio?
http://www.historicalarmsmaker.com/publications.html


Damn! Don't you hate how that happens sometimes.

Paul
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kmollet: Sorry to hear about the ex holding your copy hostage, but I know first-hand how that deal can work!
Very pleased to hear a second edition of Grenville is in the pipeline.
Another possible source for gun-building info is anything by the late Kit Ravenshear. Dixie used to reprint his stuff. I have his small book on making springs and it is clear and straightforward information.
 
I have one of Susanne's books, and am not too thrilled. She doesn't cover as well as Alexander or the Dixon book. I hardly ever look at it.
 
Back
Top