David Rase

This project started out with a set of Billinghurst underhammer castings from Muzzleloader Builder's Supply.  Both the upper and lower tangs of the castings were reshaped to resemble the elongated grip of a Winchester Hi-Wall instead of the sharp curve of the original Billinghurst action.  I breeched up a .50 caliber Lynn Weimer tapered barrel that I happened to acquire a couple of years ago.  The rust blued buttplate is cast steel in the Winchester Swiss style.  A unique feature incorporated on this rifle are the left and right cheek pieces.  During my research for this underhammer rifle project, I learned that most underhammer rifles were individually made in lieu of being mass produced.  Armed with this information I thought, why not build a rifle that would accommodate either a right and left handed shooter.  The barrel has been rust blued and the action color case hardened.  The triggerguard, which doubles as the mainspring, is hand made from 1084 spring stock.  Several coats of Peramalyn gun stock finish protect the nicely figured English walnut butt and forestock.

Copy and photos supplied by David Rase.

Woven Strap by Maryellen Pratt

Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Smoothbore by Don Bruton

The lock is a Queen Anne by L & R –

The stock was handmade from the blank (not pre-carved) and is a piece of plain, Pennsylvania red maple that has been air-dried for 12 years -

The "all-round" tapered 20 ga. barrel is 41-15/16" long with a 1" breech, 20 ga. Barrel is breeched 1/2" deep with a straight tang breech plug -

All mounts and the single trigger were forged by don. The iron buttplate is "nailed" on.

The hickory ramrod is tapered and also handmade.

The handmade front sight is an iron "barley corn" and is dovetailed into the barrel.

"This gun was made to look like a gun started by a Southern blacksmith who had gunsmithing experience, and possibly finished by an Indian or someone else on the early Southern frontier during the period 1755 - 1780."

This gun was tastefully aged and was purposely given the look of a gun on the early American frontier. There is evidence of hard use, and also damage with an upper forearm repair and a deer rawhide wrist wrap. The 2 upper ramrod pipes were pinned but the lugs and pins were never put on; hence, the rawhide wraps to secure the barrel to the stock. This is in keeping with the story above. The 3 rawhide wraps on the stock were put on while wet, allowed to dry, and then treated with a special glue and beeswax. Carving includes a large, but subtle, incised "sun" centered on the toe line of the buttstock, with "sun rays" extending upward on each side of the stock; plus, a plain beavertail around the breechplug tang. This is a very durable and strongly and tightly built gun. The trigger and lock work smoothly and safely together and the trigger pull is very light. The vent is 1/16" and is "coned" from the outside. The stock has 1/8" cast-off, the butt is 2-1/8" wide X 5" tall, the drop is 2-5/8" and the trigger pull is 13-7/8". The gun weighs 7 lbs. 4 oz. Total OAL is 57-3/4".

Copy and photos supplied by Allen Reed for Don Burton.

Folding Pocket Knife by Scott Summerville

Photographed at the 2015 CLA Show by Jan Riser.

Hunting Pouch by Gary Birch

Photographed at the 2013 CLA Show by Jan Riser.