Lester Smith for Hacker Martin Rifle

[wormey]

I had the opportunity Saturday to look at a really, really, nice longrifle at the Greenville, S.C. gunshow that was inscribed on the barrel "Lester Smith for Hacker Martin"!!!!  I am well aware of who Lester Smith was and am also familiar with Hacker Martin.  Lester Smith learned his trade primarily under Hacker in the late 40s to early 50s.  Considering the era in which Lester learned his trade this was an exceptional longrifle..  Very long barrel, relief carved, heavily inlaid with silver along the forestock, heavily engraved on the patchbox and all the metal inlays.  The rifle was reasonably priced at about $3600 as I recall.  I little more than I was prepared to spend here at Christmas, but it was a privilege to hold this fine rifle.  I did not have a camera and wish I had.  I might still be able to get some pics to post as I got a card from the man who owned it.  Again, this was a work of art and deserving of respect from all who today enjoy the fruits of the labors of folks like Hacker and Lester who kept the craft alive for the rest of us.  If there hadn`t of been a Hacker Martin there would not likely have been a Lester Smith or an Earl Lanning.  No Earl Lanning and there would have been no Bud Siler, no Bud Siler......you get the point.  Wormey

[Bob Roller]

I had the opportunity Saturday to look at a really, really, nice longrifle at the Greenville, S.C. gunshow that was inscribed on the barrel "Lester Smith for Hacker Martin"!!!!  I am well aware of who Lester Smith was and am also familiar with Hacker Martin.  Lester Smith learned his trade primarily under Hacker in the late 40s to early 50s.  Considering the era in which Lester learned his trade this was an exceptional longrifle..  Very long barrel, relief carved, heavily inlaid with silver along the forestock, heavily engraved on the patchbox and all the metal inlays.  The rifle was reasonably priced at about $3600 as I recall.  I little more than I was prepared to spend here at Christmas, but it was a privilege to hold this fine rifle.  I did not have a camera and wish I had.  I might still be able to get some pics to post as I got a card from the man who owned it.  Again, this was a work of art and deserving of respect from all who today enjoy the fruits of the labors of folks like Hacker and Lester who kept the craft alive for the rest of us.  If there hadn`t of been a Hacker Martin there would not likely have been a Lester Smith or an Earl Lanning.  No Earl Lanning and there would have been no Bud Siler, no Bud Siler......you get the point.  Wormey

 The moulds I had for the Bailes lock I made for the German market were made by Lester Smith YEARS ago.
 They were epoxy in aluminum frames or boxes and worked well.I used only the plate,cock and frizzen and
don't know if there were other parts for it or not. I gave these moulds to Les Barber who works with or for
Larry Zornes but so far no new work has developed from them.

Bob Roller

[4th La.]

Wormey,  The rifle is for sale and pictured on the CLA site .

4th La.

[wormey]

Thanks, La., I hadn`t seen that.  I would not have posted this had I been doing my homework.  Wormey

[Mike Brooks]

That's a pretty good gun for back in those days. Not much being built like that back then.

[moodyholler]

I have seen it also at Tulsa and it has a 53 in barrel. Also is 38 smooth. I like it a lot myself. Later, moodyholler

[Don Stith]

Bob
 I thought those molds were made by Lester's son Lewis. I know the first Bailes lock I owned came from Lewis( Maybe Louis) Smith and were assembled by Buck Fleenor.  That was my first purchase on my first trip to Friendship and is on the second  flintlock I ever built. The first one used a set of castings made by Roy Keeler that I cobbled together looking at pictures to see what parts went where.  Still have both of those rifles. Both saw lots of use and still spark well
 Between you, the Smiths, The Mtn Man in Colorado, TOW and L&R I wonder how many of those Bailes moulds exist. I have four of the plates and they are obviously from 4 different molds

[Bob Roller]

Bob
 I thought those molds were made by Lester's son Lewis. I know the first Bailes lock I owned came from Lewis( Maybe Louis) Smith and were assembled by Buck Fleenor.  That was my first purchase on my first trip to Friendship and is on the second  flintlock I ever built. The first one used a set of castings made by Roy Keeler that I cobbled together looking at pictures to see what parts went where.  Still have both of those rifles. Both saw lots of use and still spark well
 Between you, the Smiths, The Mtn Man in Colorado, TOW and L&R I wonder how many of those Bailes moulds exist. I have four of the plates and they are obviously from 4 different molds

Don,
I thought Lester made the moulds but actually it makes no real difference.I remember seeing
parts from these or somebody's moulds for sale at Friendship in the early 1960's.I thought they
had potential but did nothing with them until 1978.I heard rumors of a left hand version and L&R
makes one.I still have plates,cocks and frizzens for 2 or three around here someplace.
 Bob Roller

[Don Stith]

The Smiths had both original locks and both molds at one time. Making me feel old reaching back that far. Used a pair once upon a time to reconvert a Belgium copy of a Durs Egg shotgun. That was at least 30 years ago. The earlier build I mentioned was about 45 years ago. And yes, I know you are older than me

[Bob Roller]

The Smiths had both original locks and both molds at one time. Making me feel old reaching back that far. Used a pair once upon a time to reconvert a Belgium copy of a Durs Egg shotgun. That was at least 30 years ago. The earlier build I mentioned was about 45 years ago. And yes, I know you are older than me

I got the right hand moulds from TOW for the plate cock and frizzen in 1979.The moulds L&R uses
now produce much better parts.As I said earlier,I gave the moulds I had to Les Barber and I don't
know if he and Larry Zornes are going to cook up a lock with them or not.I know I'm done with them
and until recently had forgotten how labor intensive that lock is.

Bob Roller

[shifty]

Don, Who is the MounTain Man in COLORADO?