Me Gaggle of Home-grown British Beauties

[Artificer]

What a breathtaking bevy of British Beauties with which you so brazenly beguile us!

I recognize one or two from you having shown pics during the building of them, but not all. Could you choose a pic and inform us what they are individually?

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus,
Good to hear from you. The first is a Ferguson rifle made from TRS parts but from a rough English walnut stock blank. I refinished it last year after viewing the Morristown rifle up close.

The next is a British pattern 1760 light infantry carbine, the gun that likely fired the first British shots at Lexington and Concord.

The middle gun is a 1740s-1750s rifle modeled after the gun by Benjamin Griffin for Archibald Campbell who served in North America. It won best of master class at Dixons.

The next is a 1750s-1760s English fowler with barrel simulating that made by Spanish makers, the best in the world during the 17and 18th centuries. It was best of show at Dixon's in 2018 and is my favorite gun to shoot during woods walk. It hits everything I aim at.

The last is a 1770s rifled British officer's fusil. A few rifled versions were made but of course most were smooth and carbine bore. It represents 1770s styling (as opposed to the others that are earlier) complete with early checkering at the wrist. I intend to add a drop in smooth bored barrel but both will be fitted for a carbine bayonet.

All of the guns are great shooters although the light infantry carbine has a very straight stock like most muskets.

During the 18th century, British gunmakers were contractors bringing together barrel makers, lock makers, stockers, carvers, engravers, silversmiths, polishers, hardware makers,etc. I did not make any of the barrels, and 2 locks are Chambers, but I made all the rest, did all the carving, lock fitting, engraving, silversmithing, hardware making, stock making, and finishing. In addition, each gun required months of research from books, online, museums, and collections, as well as direct communication with historians. It represents a massive amount of work and dedication, and only shows what I still possess. A larger body of similar work is in the hands of clients including British horse pistols, dueling pistols, muskets, fowlers, and rifles bridging the period from 1740-1820 There is a lot more to come.

dave

 

[jae]

Dave what a treat to look at your guns. You've been bless with a great talent
] John.

 

[Artificer]

The middle gun is a 1740s-1750s rifle modeled after the gun by Benjamin Griffin for Archibald Campbell who served in North America. It won best of master class at Dixons.

dave

Dave,

The above rifle is unfamiliar to me from the "tutorials" you have so kindly provided during the building process and particularly attracted my attention. Could you elaborate more on this rifle as to caliber, barrel length, etc.? I have a particular fondness for this period British "Short" Rifles and would love to read more on such a splendid piece.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Dave,

As you know, I'm fascinated by the "Factory System" of 18th century British Gunmaking and how it was broken down into as many as 23 separate trades.

Many, if not the majority of the men who worked in the various Gunmaking trades in both London and Birmingham probably never made a complete gun, themselves. For example, a Lock Filer probably worked on inexpensive locks "for the trade" early in his apprenticeship. Though these locks had to work, there was little to no refinement in them. As the apprentices got better, I imagine they worked on Military Locks, which required more refinement. As they spent more time and got better still, then they would have begun working on locks for higher and highest grade locks. Of course someone who basically only worked on locks, would have collected more specialized tools to do the work and learned how to make the locks both faster and better. There was no way an early American Gunsmith could compete with that knowledge and experience and of course is why so many British and European locks were imported into the colonies vs trying to make them here.

What I see in your work is a genuine mastery of many of the individual Gunmaking trades and that would have been uncommon to downright rare, even in London or Birmingham during the period.

I very much hope there is a lot more coming from you and look forward to seeing more in the future.

Gus

 

[Heelerau]

Dave,
you have made a lovely bunch of guns and rifles there. Love to see them all in detail. I do like the early style of arm, I think they mount more quickly and easily than their percussion decendents. The middle rifle is of particular interest to me.

Kind regards

Gordon

 

[LRSmoker]

Hi Gus,
Good to hear from you. The first is a Ferguson rifle made from TRS parts but from a rough English walnut stock blank. I refinished it last year after viewing the Morristown rifle up close.

The next is a British pattern 1760 light infantry carbine, the gun that likely fired the first British shots at Lexington and Concord.

The middle gun is a 1740s-1750s rifle modeled after the gun by Benjamin Griffin for Archibald Campbell who served in North America. It won best of master class at Dixons.

The next is a 1750s-1760s English fowler with barrel simulating that made by Spanish makers, the best in the world during the 17and 18th centuries. It was best of show at Dixon's in 2018 and is my favorite gun to shoot during woods walk. It hits everything I aim at.

The last is a 1770s rifled British officer's fusil. A few rifled versions were made but of course most were smooth and carbine bore. It represents 1770s styling (as opposed to the others that are earlier) complete with early checkering at the wrist. I intend to add a drop in smooth bored barrel but both will be fitted for a carbine bayonet.

All of the guns are great shooters although the light infantry carbine has a very straight stock like most muskets.

During the 18th century, British gunmakers were contractors bringing together barrel makers, lock makers, stockers, carvers, engravers, silversmiths, polishers, hardware makers,etc. I did not make any of the barrels, and 2 locks are Chambers, but I made all the rest, did all the carving, lock fitting, engraving, silversmithing, hardware making, stock making, and finishing. In addition, each gun required months of research from books, online, museums, and collections, as well as direct communication with historians. It represents a massive amount of work and dedication, and only shows what I still possess. A larger body of similar work is in the hands of clients including British horse pistols, dueling pistols, muskets, fowlers, and rifles bridging the period from 1740-1820 There is a lot more to come.

Dave

Having actually seen most of those guns up close and having participated with you at woods walks I can testify to the quality of craftsmanship and beauty of those works of art. As you know Dave my goal is to eventually build one along similar lines. I’m sure mine will look like a club compared to yours however they say that someone who attempts to copy a master is indeed giving the highest compliment and that’s truly what I would like to do. Beautiful works of art and they function flawlessly also.
Eric
(AKA LR_Smoker)

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Functional art! That's amazing talent. I could only fantasize about owning one of those beauties!

 

[Cherrybow]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing your talent and knowledge with us! As someone just starting to learn this craft, you are an inspiration.

 

[dave_person]

Hi and thanks for looking folks,

I appreciate the kind comments. I work pretty hard at this and in time I've made some progress. For folks wanting more details, below is a link to making the short English rifle:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/english-rifle-62-cal.105269/
The long English fowler:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/building-a-1750s-english-fowler.109641/
The Ferguson rifle:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/ferguson-rifle.116315/
The light infantry carbine:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...ish-pattern-1760-light-infantry-fusil.116956/
The rifled officer's fusil:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/making-a-1770s-british-rifled-officers-fusil.120093/

dave

 

[George]

Thy gaggle is gorgeous.

Spence