Trip to The Rifle Shoppe

[Eterry]

I have heard of The Rifle Shoppe for years, and just going off the name assumed it was somewhere in New England.

Imagine my surprise when I googled it and it's not far (3 hrs) from me, near Oklahoma City.

I called and spoke to Jane, she was very friendly and invited me to come visit her husband, Jesse.

I opened their shop door and stood there in amazement. The walls and display cases were covered in antique firearms and guns Jesse had made.

Jesse told me he started taking original guns, making molds for the parts and copying the stock. He made investment cast parts of the originals, so they will fit original guns with little modification.

I got to handle a Joseph Manton dueling pistol made in 1783, an original Tulle Fusil De Chasse, a copy of one of Louis XIV Fusil De Chasse. Also an original 8 bore Blunderbuss with a stamp dating 1771, a copy of a matchlock dating to 1631 and a monster of a one inch bore, 30 odd pound wall gun. Oh I got to handle his copy of a Ferguson Rifle, which has tapered threads, as per the original.

If you have an original black powder gun and need a part for it, they are the place to start. Jesse said he has parts for over 700 guns. Dutch, French, Swiss, Spanish, English, American and many others.

Wall Gun

Circa 1631 matchlock

 

[Notchy Bob]

Great post! My favorite photo is the one with the wall gun. To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, "Now, that's a gun!"

Notchy Bob

 

[Terry Lightle]

Was close to there today myself,was in Arcadia

 

[deermanok]

Pretty cool, what town is it?

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Holy smokes....don't dry ball that one!

 

[Eterry]

Pretty cool, what town is it?

Wellston, Ok.

 

[yonderin]

My lord! I'm guessing it's called a wall gun because you shoot through walls with it?

Any bigger and it could be considered artillery.

 

[mushka]

Eterry I don't have any of those guns you are holding but I wear the same shirt you are except mine is long sleeve. Good trip for you brother.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I can picture in my mind new recruits doing the 16-count manual of arms...
Wall guns were called such as they could be placed at the top of a wall, such as the top of a palisade; many had a metal or wood piece that would "catch" on the wall to prevent the piece from moving rearward on firing.
And yeah, dry balling that one would be a major pain!

 

[Eterry]

I can picture in my mind new recruits doing the 16-count manual of arms...
Wall guns were called such as they could be placed at the top of a wall, such as the top of a palisade; many had a metal or wood piece that would "catch" on the wall to prevent the piece from moving rearward on firing.
And yeah, dry balling that one would be a major pain!

The wall gun had something much like an oar lock on a boat. This one had the pinned hole in the forearm where the lock went. When he copies a gun he make a complete copy, down to the smallest details.

 

[Eterry]

Holy smokes....don't dry ball that one!

That's an easy fix... just get a drill bit and glue it to a dowel rod, then get it stuck in the ball....oops, wrong thread... lol.

 

[Eterry]

My lord! I'm guessing it's called a wall gun because you shoot through walls with it?

Any bigger and it could be considered artillery.

I forgot to mention the charge was 600 grs of powder, and they were used as a small artillery piece with ball. Anti-personnel with goose shot.

 

[McClura]

Jesse's place is a great shop. Can spend all day there. AND, you were in Wellston, OK and didn't call me and meet for coffee or lunch.
Probably drove right through the middle of Norman on I35.
Jesse has two rifles I helped build after he starting making the parts. A English Snaphaunce, .77 caliber and a British Baker 62 caliber.
Glad you had fun.

Mike

 

[Eterry]

Jesse's place is a great shop. Can spend all day there. AND, you were in Wellston, OK and didn't call me and meet for coffee or lunch.
Probably drove right through the middle of Norman on I35.
Jesse has two rifles I helped build after he starting making the parts. A English Snaphaunce, .77 caliber and a British Baker 62 caliber.
Glad you had fun.

Mike

Mike, I apologize. A lodge brother was coming with me, then cancelled last minute. I started to cancel myself, then decided not to.

I got away at 11, grabbed a burger in Duncan, got there almost 2. I was on my way home and kicked myself when i thought of you.

I'll let you know when I'm coming back.

 

[McClura]

OK, I'm over it. HAH. Glad you had a good trip. The last time I was at that shop was in 1998. That was right before my good friend that built Muzzle Loaders passed away. He and Jesse were great friends and that is who I helped build the two rifles that I mentioned. My friend lived about 10 minutes from Jesse's shop. My friend, Bob Gilmore and I shot muzzleloaders all over the country after I met him. He was one of the greats that built muzzleloaders around here and a lot of people knew him. I'm still going to make a trip down there and shot a match when it cools down. I can bring the wife, drop here off at here Mother In Laws in Wichita Falls and then go to the range and come back, take a shower and go the the BBQ place in town. HAH Get two or three things done there with one trip.
Mike

 

[Eterry]

OK, I'm over it. HAH. Glad you had a good trip. The last time I was at that shop was in 1998. That was right before my good friend that built Muzzle Loaders passed away. He and Jesse were great friends and that is who I helped build the two rifles that I mentioned. My friend lived about 10 minutes from Jesse's shop. My friend, Bob Gilmore and I shot muzzleloaders all over the country after I met him. He was one of the greats that built muzzleloaders around here and a lot of people knew him. I'm still going to make a trip down there and shot a match when it cools down. I can bring the wife, drop here off at here Mother In Laws in Wichita Falls and then go to the range and come back, take a shower and go the the BBQ place in town. HAH Get two or three things done there with one trip.
Mike

Unfortunately the best BBQ place is closed on Sundays, but there's one almost a good.
Keep me posted
Et

 

[Eterry]

OK, I'm over it. HAH. Glad you had a good trip. The last time I was at that shop was in 1998. That was right before my good friend that built Muzzle Loaders passed away. He and Jesse were great friends and that is who I helped build the two rifles that I mentioned. My friend lived about 10 minutes from Jesse's shop. My friend, Bob Gilmore and I shot muzzleloaders all over the country after I met him. He was one of the greats that built muzzleloaders around here and a lot of people knew him. I'm still going to make a trip down there and shot a match when it cools down. I can bring the wife, drop here off at here Mother In Laws in Wichita Falls and then go to the range and come back, take a shower and go the the BBQ place in town. HAH Get two or three things done there with one trip.
Mike

Im sure you know his old place had an interstate built thru it. He has a nice new place and a huge shop.

 

[ML48]

Jesse's place is a great shop. Can spend all day there. AND, you were in Wellston, OK and didn't call me and meet for coffee or lunch.
Probably drove right through the middle of Norman on I35.
Jesse has two rifles I helped build after he starting making the parts. A English Snaphaunce, .77 caliber and a British Baker 62 caliber.
Glad you had fun.

Mike

We have a friend near Lawton and we hunt hogs on his lease from time to time. OK is a nice place...like it a lot.