AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Contemporary Longrifle Collecting => Topic started by: wattlebuster on November 16, 2025, 06:26:13 PM

Title: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: wattlebuster on November 16, 2025, 06:26:13 PM
Here is a Don Bruton .54/28 ga smoothbore. This gun will be the featured in Dons book that he is currently working on. An exact date of book release is not known but he is shooting for next summer. He took pics of the entire process of building from a blank for the book.
The stock is a piece of black walnut from Allen Martin. The barrel is a Oct to round Rice smoothbore that is 38 inches an is a B weight. The lock is a Chambers Virginia that was modified by Chris Evard. Its smooth as butter an sparks really good. Don forged all the furniture. He made a very nice strong tapered ramrod for it. The front sight is a 1962 silver quarter. This gun weighs less than 7 lbs by wore out bathroom scales. Once I found what it wanted to digest it shoots very nice round tight patterns with shot. I not had time to find a ball load yet but will work on it later. I paired it up with a Curt Lyles bark tanned goat skin bag an a Jeff Bottinger med size double twist horn.
(https://i.ibb.co/TDvvFgzG/20251105-121857-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Xf22vCmP)
(https://i.ibb.co/Cs1xrY3J/20251105-121920-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PzmBSPvT)
(https://i.ibb.co/RkjqzGw2/20251105-121940-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FLHFgkT6)
(https://i.ibb.co/SXsFb4Gp/20251105-121950-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WWxmZ4j1)
(https://i.ibb.co/GfqM2PKR/20251105-122003-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gbxWTg5J)
(https://i.ibb.co/yn08PVmL/20251105-122030-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fYMCFQVm)
(https://i.ibb.co/C4RnmYj/20251105-122058-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HR5rBbc)
(https://i.ibb.co/5hKKN3jm/20251105-122108-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4mmdvpF)
(https://i.ibb.co/ynLsn7s7/20251105-122118-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MDqNDQNQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/V04xw7fj/20251105-122127-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0pbKsgHD)
(https://i.ibb.co/hJ4m9SCW/20251105-122155-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/q3crjvxs)
(https://i.ibb.co/N2VVTqkq/20251105-122211-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/60nnXSpS)
(https://i.ibb.co/HT94yZhs/20251105-122222-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qY2j86Jf)
(https://i.ibb.co/4R8bdwG5/20251105-122309-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SwtkrD89)
(https://i.ibb.co/XrtXmJhv/20251105-122249-resized.jpg) (https://ibb.co/v6k12z7K)
(https://i.ibb.co/MxWfgFWP/20251113-065446.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZptSfqtc)
(https://i.ibb.co/Txk6Xhcg/20251113-065508.jpg) (https://ibb.co/21yx2Kqk)
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: Tony N on November 16, 2025, 07:03:41 PM
Beautiful work! Don is an amazing gun maker with a wealth of knowledge, I’m lucky enough to own one of his rifles that I cherish!
Looking forward to his book!

Tony
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: Percy on November 18, 2025, 06:17:22 PM
Simple and nice. I like it a lot.
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: X62503 on November 21, 2025, 12:43:57 AM
Outstanding!  Thank you!
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: Mooonax on December 02, 2025, 03:36:49 PM
Very nice! I’m a big fan of Don’s work
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: BOB HILL on December 02, 2025, 04:33:01 PM
Another beauty by one of my favorite artists. Thanks for sharing it.
Bob
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: TF Black on December 04, 2025, 06:50:39 AM
Beautiful gun. The tacked-on buttplate with that unusually long & wide tang is cool. Wonder if that tang represents a bit of artistic license, or if it could be based off an original somewhere? I’ve not seen anything quite like it before, but I like it.
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: Tuhlmann on December 05, 2025, 04:52:35 AM
I really like the cheek piece lines.  A lot!
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: L T Grey on December 06, 2025, 11:22:39 PM
You can spot one of Don’s guns instantly. Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Don Bruton 54 smoothbore
Post by: MuskratMike on December 07, 2025, 02:52:07 AM
Here is a .54 caliber/28 gauge smooth rifle don created for me a couple of years ago. I will never quit kicking myself in the butt for letting this one get away. In the next day or two don will complete another rifle for me. It will be a barn gun and I will post pictures here. I will also be on the list for getting his book once it is done.

(https://i.ibb.co/08v7Vrd/Smoothbore-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GBN63Rb)

(https://i.ibb.co/gLbhsrvj/Smoothbore-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W4NjSHDx)

(https://i.ibb.co/R4MkJgtL/smoothbore-6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/6Jp7qyG6)

(https://i.ibb.co/CxhgMBj/Smoothbore-7.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5qBmnTQ)

(https://i.ibb.co/GfqdCsKG/Smoothbore-13.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LD309QLB)

(https://i.ibb.co/kgbzB17f/Smoothbore-22.jpg) (https://ibb.co/tMjnKXGt)