Sheetz rifle information

[David Rase]

I am in the midst, or should I say onset, of building a rifle for a client based on the John or Henry Sheetz attributed rifle on pages 70 and 71 of Whiskers "Longrifles of Virginia".  I am looking for any additional information I can about Sheetz rifles.  Any additional photos, sources, dimensions, references etc. would all be appreciated.  Thanks in advance for your help.
David

[SingleMalt]

I remember an article in JHAT about a Sheetz rifle.  Can't recall which one, except that it was pretty fancy.

[sqrldog]

Dave
The April 2013 Muzzle Blasts has an article and cover picture on the John Jacob Sheets (Sheetz) rifle and the copy Darrin McDonal and Jim Parker made for the 2013 CLA auction. Ther was also a Sheetz rifle on the cover of a much earlier Muzzle Blasts. I'll try to find it. I also think the previously mentioned rifle may have been in a CLA  publication. Tim

[David Rase]

I remember an article in JHAT about a Sheetz rifle.  Can't recall which one, except that it was pretty fancy.

SingleMalt,
Thanks or reminding me.  I just pulled out my collection of JHAT's and found the article in Volume V.  Guess I will have to take a break, grab a glass of wine and read it again.
David

[David Rase]

Dave
The April 2013 Muzzle Blasts has an article and cover picture on the John Jacob Sheets (Sheetz) rifle and the copy Darrin McDonal and Jim Parker made for the 2013 CLA auction. Ther was also a Sheetz rifle on the cover of a much earlier Muzzle Blasts. I'll try to find it. I also think the previously mentioned rifle may have been in a CLA  publication. Tim

Yep, I need to go down to the basement and start looking through my 35 years of Muzzle Blasts.  As my tastes change through the years I find myself always discovering something I had not noticed previously in the old issues.
David

[JPK]

I posted photos of a M Sheetz rifle some time back.
I'm not handy enough to post a link perhaps this will work.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=29935.0

[Mike Brooks]

You gots the book on west virginia rifles?

[Dale Campbell]

I got some digital pictures of the (John?) Sheetz rifle in the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond some years back. They are through glass, so I don't think the quality is that great, and only of one side. If that rifle is published, I can assure you those pictures will be better. But if you're interested, I'll be happy to send them along. If so, PM your email and I'll dig them up.

[bama]

Hi David

Ever since Darrin and I built the John Jacob Sheetz rifle for the CLA auction I have become a great fan of the Sheetz family of gunsmiths. I recently completed a rifle that was based on the John Sheetz rifle that is in the muesum at Colonial Williamsburg. It is the rifle that that is in JHAT 5. This is the best info on a good Sheetz rifle that I have been able to find. Darrin and I were very privelegded to have the oringinal rifle available for us to look at during the time of building the copy. I think that Darrin kept all of the measurements that we did on the rifle, maybe he will chime in here or you could contact him and see if he will give you a copy of them.

Here are a couple of shots of the rifle that i just finished. It is a 3/4 scale rifle, 50 cal with a 38" "B" weight barrel by Charley Burton, a fanstatic peice of Freddie Harrison wood, Jim Chamber's lock and modifided Davis triggers, Reeave's castings with everything else made by me. This is the rifle that has the hidden hinge release that I posted a while back.

[Ironglove]

I have in my shop right now, a rifle built by M Sheetz   (Martin or Michael) . I am repairing it for a friend who bought it out of a barn in Fulton Co PA., 30 to 40 miles from where it was built. It has a clean break at the wrist, was glued and re-enforced with a sheet iron band. I would guess it has been cut off at the breech twice from being burnt out. The barrel is stamped M Sheetz on the top, the Z is actually  an N turned sideways. On the underside  at the breech is stamped  F  H 11. Originally a flintlock. Inside the lockplate is stamped CL, on the outside the lettering is unreadable except for a W then several spaces and ED. Comments anyone?

[ltdann]

There are some great pics of Sheetz rifles (Martin, William, Fredrick and Zebulon) in the Kentucky rifle foundation CD - Pickett's Fort.

http://kentuckyriflefoundation.org/krf-store/

I love those CD's, the resolution is unbelievable, you cans see the tool marks....

[n stephenson]

David, If you have the book Steel Canvas , by R L Wilson . There are a couple of nice Sheetz rifles pictured on page 60 . I think they are pictured elsewhere as well. Not much , but a couple of high quality photos. Nate

[Mike Brooks]

David, If you have the book Steel Canvas , by R L Wilson . There are a couple of nice Sheetz rifles pictured on page 60 . I think they are pictured elsewhere as well. Not much , but a couple of high quality photos. Nate

This is a thread from 2016. He has already built the gun and posted pictures of it some time ago. It's a fabulous gun that is head and shoulders over most work seen these days.