Muzzleloader built by William Large

[browningwgm]

Hello,

I'm brand new to the forum and have a question about a gun given to me by a close relative. I haven't taken possession of it yet but looked at it briefly. He told me that best he can remember, he had Mr. Large build the gun in the late 50's. He waited over 3 years to get it. The gun has a long barrel, I didn't measure it, and is stocked nearly the full length. I believe it is .50 Cal but am not positive. My relative won several medals with this rifle in competition. I will take possession next time I return home. I've searched but cannot find very much info on Mr. Large. What I have found said that he was a barrel maker. I'd be interested in finding out any information concerning Mr. Large as well as the rarity of the gun. Thanks.

 

[George Holton]

:thumbsup:and A very good barrel maker he was too.

 

[Tumblernotch]

I met Mr. Large many years ago as a teen when he shot at our club. I never got to really know him, but several of the older members knew him quite well and had been to his shop. He was a very well known barrel maker and his barrels have been in demand for years. He also built quite a few rifles. He was one of the founding members of the NMLRA. He is pictured in Foxfire 5 as a younger man and I have a few photos of him in his shop in his later years. Mr. Large was well thought of in our area by ML shooters and was a pioneer in reviving the use of muzzleloaders both for target shooting and hunting. Your rifle was in all likelyhood built at his shop in Ironton, Ohio. As to the year, I can't say. I know he was building guns as far back as the 20's and up into the 70's. He passed away several years ago and his shop and tools, after a relative tried to continue the work, fell into disrepair. Another Forum member just informed us a few weeks ago that someone else bought the tools and machinery, restored them, and is now producing high quality barrels once again with them.

 

[browningwgm]

Thanks for the info. I know the gun was made no later than the very early 60's and probably in 58 or 59. It was indeed made in Ironton, as this is where it was picked up. It took over 3 years from start to finish. I'm looking forward to getting this gun. I just hope the barrel is still in good shape after many years of setting and not being used. I'll post photos when I get it, probably sometime this summer.

 

[Many Klatch]

There are lots of stories about Bill Large. It wasn't uncommon for someone to order a barrel from him, wait for a couple of years and then get something different than what they ordered. People that ordered 50 caliber barrels might get 32 caliber barrels and so on. The wait of three years for a gun sounds about right. There is a Bill Large match at Friendship that is shot twice a year. Mr. Large was certainly one of the people that is responsible for our sport of muzzleloading having been revived.

Before Bill Large was making barrels, most matches were shot with originals.

Many Klatch

 

[Tumblernotch]

You're welcome. I'm sorry I don't have any more info at this time. Congatulations on getting this gun. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Have a very Merry Christmas and have fun with yer new play-pretty.

 

[DenverDave]

Not positive but I believe Muzzle Blasts magazine had mention of William Large in issues of the '50s(?),'60s. He left us with a heritage.