Where to examine originals?

[Boompa]

   I've been able to actually examine, hands-on or even look at closely, only a couple of original flintlocks.  The few that I've seen were in poor shape and had been messed with through the decades. Where in the Rocky Mtn region is there a good collection of clean originals to see?  As I recall there are a few older guns at Cody from the flintlock era but that was many years ago when I was up that way and at the time I wasn't particularly interested in the late 18th-early 19th century stuff.
         I'm about 5 hours N of Denver and  about 4 hours from Cody.  Suggestions?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I'm in North Central British Columbia, and the only original arms from this period around here are few and far between in museums.  Very few collectors have them.
So I made the pilgrimage (twice) to Dixon's Gunmaker's Fair in Pennsylvania explicitly to view original collections, and it has made a profound difference in my knowledge and experience with longrifles.  More than that, I have made lifelong valuable friends within this community.  So if you're serious, I suggest you take the plunge.

[Boompa]

   Yep, thought about doing that myself. Maybe next year, too much going on now.  Just an observation, seems that most current interest and use of authentic 18th-19th century flinters is E of the Mississippi. I've also noticed the same regarding traditional archery. There are a few guys out here into it, but very few.

[Dave B]

I can only say that other have told me that the Denver Gun show has some great examples It just happened last moth on the second weekend I think. You would not be sorry making a trip back to Dixon's or to the CLA show they have a good showing of originals these days. Jack Brooks lives just north of Denver and may be a good resource for getting to see originals.  this is the link to his web site
http://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/riflessundriesforsale.htm

J. S. Brooks
800 West Oxford Ave.
Englewood, Colorado  80110
Telephone # 303 789 4029       
Email: jsbrookslongrifles@gmail.com 
 

[Boompa]

     I think there may be a show specifically for antique guns and interest and that will be something I'll watch for.  I've been to many gun shows in Denver, some of them huge, but didn't see much in the way of LRs.

[Herb]

Jim Gordon's museum at Glorieta, NM, just SE of Sante Fe, has hundreds of originals.  About 30 Hawkens and more Lemans, but also eastern flintlocks.  You can do a search on here for his contact info.  You can handle these guns, photograph or measure them.

[Dave B]

This particular show that I was told about is run by the  Colorado Gun Collectors Association. It is only once a year and 1500 tables. Their web site is http://cgca.com/annual_gun_show.html.  There are getting to be only a few shows that are worth going to any more for Old long rifles. There was one in Portland Or. but the city put restrictions on the shows and the only really good show quit doing Portland.

[Boompa]

  Thanks for the responses. Now that several have mentioned it I have heard of a collector show in the Denver area and will attend next time.