AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: MKemper on March 01, 2011, 01:42:17 AM

Title: William McBee, East Tenn.
Post by: MKemper on March 01, 2011, 01:42:17 AM

Would anyone have information on William McBee, an East Tenn. gunsmith who built iron mounted rifles during the early percussion era?

Title: Re: William McBee, East Tenn.
Post by: Ian Pratt on March 01, 2011, 02:15:50 AM

   The only information I have seen in print would be in Jerry Noble's "Notes on Southern Long Rifles" (Vol 1) and it is very limited, stating only that he is thought to have worked in Washington Co. Tn and that several of his rifles have turned up.
   If you contact Jerry you may get some more information, he has documentation on a particular McBee rifle which saw use in the Civil War. It is one of the nicest mountain rifles I have seen, and also is strikingly similar to a Henderson Co. NC rifle made by Joseph Whitson Jr.
   The Whitson rifle is pictured both in Noble's vol 1 and in Bill Ivey's great new book. The similarity is so readily apparent that there must be some connection but so far I don't know what it is.

Title: Re: William McBee, East Tenn.
Post by: WElliott on March 03, 2011, 12:45:13 AM

Don contact Jerry Noble.  He has access to a McBee rifle and is great about sharing information.