Copy of A. Verner's Rifle by D. Taylor Sapergia

 Ever since I bought Kindig's wonderful book back in the last century, I have admired this rifle.  Since then, I have bought every publication that had images of the rifle.  I've studied it in picture form for a very long time.  But Shumway's Rifles of Colonial America proved to be the difference.  In it are a few key dimensions that allowed me to scale all of the aspects of the rifle that make it so great.  With that information, I have recreated the rifle as close as I can with that information.

Although I followed the architecture closely, I deviated by using a 48" Getz barrel rifled in .50 calibre.  Still, I kept the length of pull at 13 1/2", and I must say, it is a joy to shoot.  I used a standing breech tang and a hooked breech plug, as in the original.  I have great faith that it will serve me well for years to come.

The rifle is stocked in great Western maple which I compare to superlative English walnut rather than the heavier and harder sugar maple of the east.  It takes incised carving (and relief too) very well, and has excellent curly figure and colour.  The stock is stained with ferric nitrate crystals disolved in water to a supersaturated solution, and blushed.  The finish is an inexpensive varnish, and this I rubbed out with steel wool, and waxed well with Trewax.  The ramrod tapers from 7/16" at the muzzle to 5/16" at the brass rod tip.  I finished the rifle as new.  The pictures will show the patina that has accumulated over the past two months.

Copy and photos supplied by Taylor Sapergia.