Tim Williams Lehigh Valley schimmmel

[Adam]

My Lehigh Valley schimmel arrived after two+ years of waiting. Tim Williams crafted it. I’m delighted to say the least. 🙂

.40 caliber, 44” swamped Rice barrel. Cherry stock. Deluxe Chambers Siler lock. Brass side plate, nose cap, ram rod, and ram rod thimbles were made by Tim.

It was a pleasure getting to know Tim a bit.  He is a fine man and, obviously, a craftsman.

Can’t wait to take it yo the range!






photo uploader

[Kevin]

Adam,

Nice looking rifle.  I too became acquainted with Mr. Williams and it has been a pleasure.  I have about a year to wait for my fowler to come off of his bench.

Enjoy that rifle,
Kevin

[Adam]

Kevin,

It'll be worth the wait, I strongly suspect. 

Best.

[FALout]

Nice looking Lehigh, can only imagine it’s pretty light being 40cal and stocked in cherry

[Marcruger]

Tim did a nice job for you on that rifle.  She's a looker.  Nice lines.  God Bless,   Marc

[galudwig]

I agree that this is a beautiful rifle and that Tim is a great guy who builds fine guns. I mean no offense whatsoever, but I just don't think this rifle is a "schimmel." While it lacks engraving, carving, and a patchbox, it has a buttplate, side plate, entry pipe, two thimbles, and muzzle cap; things that (in aggregate) are not usually found on "schimmels."

Chuck Dixon wrote a really great piece called "The Schimmel and its Culture" in which he described the basic elements and essence of what a "schimmel" is. I think this rifle goes above and beyond his description. If it had a "life," this rifle may have started out as a basic "schimmel" that could have gone right out the door with a customer of lower means. Perhaps another customer didn't want a dead plain rifle, so the builder grabbed that same "schimmel" and added features the customer wanted and could afford. The customer may have ended up with what you see here; a simply beautiful, unadorned rifle.

[Notchy Bob]

Chuck Dixon wrote a really great piece called "The Schimmel and its Culture" in which he described the basic elements and essence of what a "schimmel" is.

I would like to read that article.  Where can I find it?  A quick web search turned up nothing.

Whether it is a true schimmel or not, the rifle that is the subject of this post is indeed a beauty... Elegant simplicity.  Made as it is from best-quality components, I'll bet it's a shooter, too!

Best regards,
Notchy Bob

[galudwig]

I don't think it's a "published" thing. Mines a photocopy that I picked up off Chuck Dixon's back porch at the Gunmaker's Fair several years ago. PM me your address and I'll send you a copy if you like.

[Notchy Bob]

Galudwig,

I sent a PM to you.

Thanks,

Notchy Bob

[Hungry Horse]

 I think there is a fine line between a plain longrifle and a barngun, or schimmel. IMO, this gun would be a plain longrifle. Barn guns were basic, I mean really basic, as in if it doesn’t have a function, it doesn’t need it. So, I think a full compliment of ramrod pipes, buttplates, nose caps, and costly cast triggerguards, would have been unlikely. In fact the term Schimmel has several interpretations, some refer to the color gray, some infer moldy, or dusty, other interpretations mention a gray horse, or something put away. I believe some of these likely refer to the gray aged exterior of an unfinished gun stock, and the likelihood that it would not be displayed because of its unfinished condition.
 By the way, I love this gun. It’s clean lines are classic.

  Hungry Horse

[Bob McBride]

To me a Schimmel has no buttplate, trigger guard is probably not inletted, just screwed in, one pipe at the muzzle or so, no side plate, and a scraped finish. Bare bones. Of course, my definition has no bearing on reality....

Beautiful gun however.

[Hungry Horse]

 My old shooting buddy Tall Pine built a Bedford schimmel that didn’t have a trigger guard. The trigger lays back against the stock, like the rear trigger on a jaegar. It had no butt plate, just a big square nail in the heel, no side plate, no nose cap, and only one ramrod pipe. It was stocked in a moderately figured piece of maple, and was gorgeous in its simplicity.

  Hungry Horse