“WAY BACK WHEN”

Towards the end of 1961  I ordered an unfinished Pennsylvania rifle kit from a maker Named Robert Chadwick. He lived in Chaddsford PA. The gun took 7 months to arrive. It was based on a Berks county profile. It had a Numerich  42” 45 cal straight barrel. The lock came assembled and was a round faced semi English/French design. The barrel was about 80% inletted as was the lock and parchbox. The box had several pearcings. After no more than five minutes I realized it would be impossible for me to do anything with this except stare at it!!

In  Early 1962 I discovered a black powder shooting range about 50 miles from where I lived. It was a few miles off a dirt road sounded by hills. There was long row of covered bench tables. Most of the group there shot sitting down. At the other end was some large poles in rows to shoot across of just stand behind to fire. There were a couple on long  loading tables Behind  the firing line. This part of the range was known as the ”primitive range”.  Most of the group who used this area elected to wear period clothes. There were no handmadre long rifles, mostly cheap kit stuff or repro civil war Arms. There was one exception.:  One  fellow shooting his own handmade Kentucky Rifle!!!  I have never seen a Kentucky except in the movies so this was my first experience in actually seeing one close up but also hearing for the first time the real sounds of a flintlock firing. It was quite a moment. After some time I got to talking with the rifles owner. He name was Bill (is now WULF) Schultz. He told me he made guns and accouterments but only on a part time basis. After a long sob story he agreed to have a look see at my rifle kit. To make a long story short he agreed to do the assembly. It took several months and there were some difficult aspects in trying to get the thing to behave, but in the end he did a first rate job. We had many neat years shooting at this range. All the while Wulf continued to make rifles and pistols.

He has a wide spear of styles and l era’s. One of his favorite things is to make scratch built locks. Flints, wheelocks, snap locks, miquelets. He’s an excellent machinist and crafsman.......  A true pioneer of the revival, and a great friend!!!!!

Robert Weil

All guns are all handmade except barrels

Gun Photo’s by Wulf Schultz

Copy by Robert Weil