West Virginia Gunsmiths

[Avlrc]

A couple friends and I have started a blog on early West Virginia Gunsmiths. Our content will be limited to West Virginia Topics. Our efforts are intended to spark an interest & help discover our local & state history. We thought some of you might like to take a look. We just started it so, we know it needs much improvement. 
http://hampshirecountylongrifles.blogspot.com/

[tallbear]

As the owner of the William Britton rifle in the Library you are welcome to use the photos on your site if you wish.Credit Mark Elliot for the photoghraphy please.

Mitch Yates

[PPatch]

Nice blogspace, well laid out and tasteful. Looking forward to following its progress and the information posted.

dave

[Topknot]

Nice site, cant wait for more info.

          topknot

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

This is a great idea and will very likely develop into the best resource on Hampshire Co guns. Perhaps others will follow suite with other areas of Kentucky Rifle subjects and we can all link together!
Hurricane

PS: With the authors permission we have added the link to this blog in "Original Research" section of the ALR Museum and Library. We hope to add others as they become avaiablle or known to us.

[Avlrc]

Thanks guys, we really appreciate your support. I am sure we will provide you with a few laughs with some of our poor grammar.

[Topknot]

Avlrc, dont worry about your grammar, theres alot of country boys on A.L.R., I for one am a pur-dee country boy from alabama and am proud of my country roots. Just be true to yourself and your birthright, call it as you see it . I think your site will be enormously popular.As my grandad used to say, just keep on chiselin.

                                                                    topknot

[Avlrc]

Thanks!

[smokinbuck]

Avlrc,
I have a rifle, rifling machine and freshing heads from the shop of Geo. L. Brammer. The rifle I have is well marked "G.L. Brammer - maker- Huntington W. Va 1893". He worked in both Huntington, West V. Va. and Chesapeake, Lawrence County, Ohio. His dates of birth and death are 1861-1948. The rifle I have is a heavy chunk gun type rifle and is still an excellent shooter with a .46 caliber bore. I think the rifling machine pre dates Brammer's use based on it's construction but I am certain the freshing heads were used by him.
Mark

[Bob Roller]

There is a George Brammer rifle along with a number of his tools
in the Huntington WV Museum of Art here where I live. Brammer was
a resident of Chesapeake,Ohio which is just on the North side of the 6th street bridge.
Bill Large spoke of him often and Bill Sliger used to watch him make and repair guns as
well as make tools.

Bob Roller

[smokinbuck]

Bob,
Brammer was written up in Muzzle Blasts, with a cover picture , I think in 1947. He was well known and known as Uncle Geo. He was one of the ML builders who successfully transitioned into the cartridge rifles. A friend of mine's father knew Brammer and when they broke up his shop, got the rifleing machine. The cutters came from another friend and the rifle was in Indiana. If you can make it we, Ohio Longrifle Collectors, are holding our 36th annual exhibit and annual meeting in Marietta on April 13th-14th at the Lafayette Hotel. Would look forward to seeing you.
Mark

[Avlrc]

 Thats right, I remember seeing those tools awhile back when I was in Huntington. I had forgot about that.  I have the little paperback  book of Herman Deans's Collection around here somehwere.

The Marrieta show is a very good show and you can see some stuff that originated in West Virginia. Last time I went, I seen a set of gunsmithing tools that contained some of Otho Sheetz' tools....

[smokinbuck]

If anyone needs more info on the show, let me know. If anyone gets there, be sure to ask for me, I like to put faces to names.
Mark

[Avlrc]

Here is a paragraph or two on Henry Topper. He worked in Pa and WV/VA.

http://hampshirecountylongrifles.blogspot.com/

[Hurricane ( of Virginia)]

Really great beginning....looking forward to reading your future "chapters" and hope other will follow suit!
Hurricane

[Avlrc]

Hurricane, I appreciate that.