who's bill large

[walruskid1]

who's bill large and what's special about his barrels?

 

[Erzulis boat]

I hear that they are quite big.









:rotf: (couldn't resist, sorry)

 

[rich pierce]

Bill Large was the undisputed king of muzzle loading rifle barrel making back in "the day". He has gone on to his reward. He was famous for the accuracy of his rifles and his crusty ways. If you didn't like what he was doing or the way he did it, you were wrong and foolish.
Story I will repeat that Jim Chambers recently told on another site:
Guy had a Large barrel and had polished and lapped the bore till it shone like a mirror. At a shoot where Bill was present, he could not hit anything and told Bill so. Bill said, "lemme see that gun." Took a patch, spit on it, and rubbed it in the sand. Ran it up and down a few times and said, "There, now it'll shoot!". According to Jim, it DID.

Compared to todays barrels, Bill Large barrels were rough as a cob. But they evoke the early days of the revival and are prized. And they shoot.

 

[rickystl]

Bill Large was a rather famous custom muzzleloading barrel maker back in the 1970's in Ironton, Ohio. Don't think the shop is there anymore?

 

[rickC]

Now You have gone and made me feel my age!! :grin: I know I am getting old when the "youngsters" want to know about the good ol days!!and old time shooters!! :grin:

 

[kentucky bucky]

Hey fellows!
Rich Pierce nailed it. Bill Large started in the late twenties and was istrumental (along with several others) in the start up of the NMLRA in the 1930s. I met him a couple times at his shop. He would act like he was ****** that you stopped, but he wouldn't let you leave until he showed you everything. His barrels were the "Holy Grail" to us beginners 30 years ago.

 

[pathfinderifh]

Gotta agree RickC, Went to bed yesterday and I was eighteen, woke up today and I'm 51!

I have a Bill Large .40 cal smoothbore in 13/16x40" and it shoots better than any rifle I own or will EVER own. 1/2 to 3/4" groups at 50yds.
Wish we could find someone with his talent today, even if he was nowhere near humble or politicly correct!

Pathfinder

 

[gordy]

There are some articles in the Nuzzle Blast Mags. of the 70s.He was a talanted Bench Rife builder and shooter.Quite a chacther and great experimenter. :thumbsup:

 

[dd832]

who's bill large and what's special about his barrels?

If you want to see if all the above information is true...go to ebay & when they have a Bill Large barrel come up, stand back & watch the dollars fly!

 

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greeting All,

I had the great fortune to meet Bill Large in person at the 1983 50th anniversity of the NMLRA CHAMPIONSHIPS on the Walter Cline Range at Friendship, IN. He gave the Opening Ceremonies speech. Later, during the week of shooting, it was interesting to sit around him and his friends and listen to their stories. What I would not have given for a tape recorder.

Bill Large is personally responseable for the revival of the "Chunk Gun" (over the log) matches

When Mr. Large died in the late 80's or early 90's, he was the last of the original charter members of the NMLRA.

Best regards and good shooting,

John L. Hinnant

If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying you load.

 

[BLAHMAN]

I was lucky enough to pick up a used Bill Large barrel for about 90 bucks a few years ago.

I'm working on building a gun out of at the moment.

 

[quinnconner]

I bought 2 as new Bill Large barrels on ebay.The first one is .40 cal. by 15/16 and 42" long.That one is being built to be a full-stock really curly maple iron mounted hog rifle.Probably with no inlays and little if any carving.I hope to finish her this winter or early summer.
My other barrel is a .54 cal. by 1" barreel that is about 32" long and has a patent breech ,percussion set up with a long tang.I have a nice curly maple half -stock pre carve for that one.
I have never shot these yet, but I look forward to it some day.I got both of these for about what I would have paid for a Getz or a Rice barrel so....I will let you know how we shoot with them.
J.J.

 

[BLAHMAN]

I thought I heard the rumor that his son was in the process of starting the barrel business back up, as the old equipment was still at the 4-J ranch.

Did that occur? Does anybody know what happened to his equipment? I wonder what happened to his rifling machines and tooling.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I had the great fortune to meet Bill Large in person at the 1983 50th anniversity of the NMLRA CHAMPIONSHIPS on the Walter Cline Range at Friendship, IN.

John, that was the same shoot I met him at too! He just walked right up to me and shook my hand and intoduced himself. Grand old fellow. :hatsoff:
I've built probably 1/2 dozen guns around his barrels, most of them chunk guns.

 

[madstone]

I was lucky enough to meet Wm.Lg and even today have some of his barrels. I also have a rifle he made and it reflects the early lack of sources for ML parts. All the parts are handmade!
The bbls were very expensive years ago and I shuuder to think my wife will discover what those unmounted bbls are worth in todays' dollars?
Bill's bbls were as perfect as he could make them though many barrels made today are probably as good, they can't be much better?? My favourite is a looong bbled .308 flintlock on which he allegedly used some military surplus tooling to produce. (He supplied a 308 gang mold, too! Bill said he bought some rifling or boring tooling from the gov't, or something to that effect.
I've thought about why Bill became crusty and decided it always happens when you become an "icon" and have to adopt this demeanor to protect your sanity from the hordes of admirers who won't let you get any work done! I'm not anybody's icon but can feel the crustiness creeping into my pleasant disposition as I age and pilgrims want to "chat" endlessly on about stuff you've heard for many decdes. :thumbsup:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Bill (Swiftwater) Fuller of Cooper landing AK built me up a Hawken back in the 70's, it has a Bill Large barrel and has always shot plumb center, if I did my part. Our son has the gun today, and he would not take anything for it.


Here is pic of me and the Hawken back in 81.

 

[Pork Chop]

I don't know much about Bill Large, but unfortunately, I know about Large Bills....

 

[walruskid1]

:shocked2: large bills?

 

[Zonie]

I don't know much about Bill Large, but unfortunately, I know about Large Bills....

At's wha kums frum makin all o em fokes happi at Christmas time.
Now ye gots ta pay tha pipar but ye gots ta admet it war fun whil it lastted.

 

[Pork Chop]

I just wish that Santa would bring me something that I can use - not the backed up drain field that I got. Sigh. The kids did well, and that is all that matters about Christmas gift giving!!