Old Film - How Rifles Used to be Made - Colonial Times

[etrain16]

Okay, this feels a bit like an educational film from my grade school days - made, I'm guessing in the 50's or 60's at Colonial Williamsburg. It shows the process for two of their gunsmiths to make a rifle from scratch (yes, a rifle, not a musket). I had kind of wondered how they used to do it. I imagine it took them a long time to learn this trade well. I came across this while looking for something else and thought a few folks might enjoy it.

I imagine @AndyinEverson might enjoy this, though I also imagine he has this on DVD already

Anyway, if you've got an hour or so to kill and find this stuff interesting, here you go:

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[Andy54Hawken]

Thanks for posting etrain!
Will have to watch this when I have the time.
Wallace Gusler is a well respected gunsmith.
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

Anyway, if you've got an hour or so to kill and find this stuff interesting, here you go:

I do (enjoy this kind of stuff) and considering I too am a fan of BP and and my recent restore of a badly rusted Thompson Renegade which is now a tack driver has given me a kick in the azz to start shooting BP a little more - maybe a LOT more.

 

[etrain16]

Thanks for posting etrain!
Will have to watch this when I have the time.
Wallace Gusler is a well respected gunsmith.
Andy

I'm a little over half way through it myself. I have to say, I am very impressed how they make everything by hand - including things like the screws. No forms around really either - they seem to be shaped by hand, and by feel/memory. Really impressive skills.

 

[etrain16]

I do (enjoy this kind of stuff) and considering I too am a fan of BP and and my recent restore of a badly rusted Thompson Renegade which is now a tack driver has given me a kick in the azz to start shooting BP a little more - maybe a LOT more.

Any photos of the restoration?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

That is one of the many things that make a original longrifle look and feel vastly different than a modern replica or recreation.
Andy

I'm a little over half way through it myself. I have to say, I am very impressed how they make everything by hand - including things like the screws. No forms around really either - they seem to be shaped by hand, and by feel/memory. Really impressive skills.

 

[RVTECH]

Any photos of the restoration?

Well no pics until get a new image site!

 

[etrain16]

Well no pics until get a new image site!

Couldn't you upload them directly to this site from your computer? Or are they only on your hosted site?

 

[RVTECH]

Ill have to put them back on my computer and upload them

 

[RVTECH]

Prior to restore

 

[RVTECH]

Well I must have done something right because this Renegade is SCARY accurate! The first shot is the one in the red from 50 yards kneeling. 2nd is the one about 2" to the right and was my fault. #3 was the one above the red (after a sight adjustment) and # 4 was the one at the one at the top after another click 'up' on the rear sight. Decided to drop down a click and set the cup at 100 yards and you see the result - It shoots incredibly flat and about the same at 100 as it does at 50. I think it lives!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

While a different time period 1800 +
'Smiths like Leman , J. Henry , Derringer etc ... were using a assembly line process.
One guy working on stocks
Another tuning locks
Yet another working on patchboxes

Even in Colonial times locks were imported along with other parts.
So please do not fall into the trap of thinking that every antique rifle or musket was all made by hand one at a time in a small one or three man shop...
Andy
Edit
Not knocking Wallace Gusler or any maker then or now ... Just saying that many guns had ready made parts and were installed by the 'Smith... Much like buying a "kit gun" of today.

 

[etrain16]

While a different time period 1800 +
'Smiths like Leman , J. Henry , Derringer etc ... were using a assembly line process.
One guy working on stocks
Another tuning locks
Yet another working on patchboxes

Even in Colonial times locks were imported along with other parts.
So please do not fall into the trap of thinking that every antique rifle or musket was all made by hand one at a time in a small one or three man shop...
Andy

I figured there must have been a method for mass production - no way you could outfit an army using such slow techniques. But for those that could afford such a hand-made gun, it must have been something to treasure.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Oh yeah .. Guns by Dickert , Gumpf , Beck , Haga , Fordney etc ... are all works of art.
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

With careful work I got most of the rust out of the inside of the barrel and around the breech and drum area and maintained essentially all of the bluing. Except for a couple small pitted spots and worn areas I still put this rifle at about 90 - 95%. Most looking at it would not even know it was it was as bad as it was.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

You done good RVTECH!
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

Yea this ain't my first rodeo with guns - of any era!

 

[Flymph]

Well worth an hour, thank you for sharing.

Makes me want to go out and spend money tho, which I have conflicted feelings about.

 

[tac]

Oh yeah .. Guns by Dickert , Gumpf , Beck , Haga , Fordney etc ... are all works of art.
Andy

And Peter Gonter.

tac

 

[Velzey]

Oh my gosh, this film is one I watched when I was in the 5th grade. At Buckman elementary school in Portland. This was Right about the time I toured Benson High School and was mezmorized at all the machines. All this happened the same week. I decided hey I wanna build and work on boomsticks.
I've looked for this film for years.

Thanks for posting this.