Reeves Goehring

[moleeyes36]

I'm trying to locate good contact information for Reeves Goehring.  I found an address and phone number on line but I'm not sure it's current since no one answers the phone.  Ron Luckenbill has been trying to keep me on the right track as I build this Tip Curtis Bucks Co. rifle kit.  Unfortunately I didn't check with Ron soon enough and now that the final butt stock shaping is in progress I find that the butt plate supplied is incorrect for a Bucks Co. rifle.    

Ron suggested I contact Reeves Goehring to get the correct butt plate.  Do any of you have current contact information for Reeves? 

[Tim Crosby]

 Try this:

   
Reaves Goehring
Hempfield Manor Farm
4436 Marietta Rd
Columbia, Pa. 17512

717-684-2022


  Tim C.

[Acer Saccharum]

He has been coming to Lewisburg every year so far. Be prepared for high prices, and balance that with Reaves has hard-to-find patterns.

[Lucky R A]

      Don't forget Dave Keck's castings,  although they are on the high end of the price scale, they are also on the high end of the quality scale.   If you don't want to spend hours filing down a rough sand casting, then these high quality castings are for you, and they are correct. I use a lot of Reeves castings as well--It is good to have options.
      It is too bad that so many times incorrect materials are supplied with kit guns.   The term Verner is often used to describe any kit that is alleged to be a Bucks Co kit, and that attribution is based on the fact that the kit has a side opening oversized patchbox.  There is considerable difference between a Verner rifle and a Shuler rifle, although at first glance they appear much the same.  It takes time to study and learn the little nuances.
       It is refreshing that Don is attempting to be as historically correct as he can on this build.  Unfortunately, he may be far enough along on his build that correcting the butt plate may not be possible, but he already knows that he will not be caught in that trap again.  First guns are always learning experiences, I wish resources such as this forum would have been available when I began...

[flehto]

What is a Bucks County buttplate? Have seen at least 3 very different  BPs that were called BC style on LRs made by gunsmiths who resided in Bucks County in the years 1790-1820. I know the BC LRs were made in a very limited time period, but perhaps those w/ much more knowledge than I, would  contribute to this discussion. .....Fred

[Lucky R A]

    There are two basic styles commonly used on Berks Co. rifles The Verner style, which has a rather flat forward extension  w/ 3 flats, and the Shuler style which has a rather short rounded forward extension terminating in a thumbnail.  At this point I only know of Two signed Verner rifles, One in excellent book that Dave Hanson recently published and the other is published in the first Accouterments book by Johnson.   There have been a fair number of guns attributed to Verner, some worthy of consideration and others "not a chance."   The Shuler style Butt plate was used much more widely, and with some variation as to width and length, but still with the rounded forward extension terminating in a thumbnail.   I have see several unsigned guns that used mostly Shuler characteristics of architecture but used the Verner style butt plate and trigger guard.   I suppose things are now as confused as ever, but on a higher level and about more important things....  Ron

[moleeyes36]

Try this:

   
Reaves Goehring
Hempfield Manor Farm
4436 Marietta Rd
Columbia, Pa. 17512

717-684-2022


  Tim C.

Thanks, Tim.  That is the contact information I have and I didn't get an answer when I called.  I may try again later.

I've been a pretty serious BP shooter for going on 40 years now.  But as for building guns, all I can say is I've butchered some wood in various degrees in the past.  This is my first serious attempt at building a gun that achieves a reasonable degree of historical correctness.   

I've exchanged some emails with Ron about a work around that might result in a reasonably HC Shuler style rifle out of this kit.  Ron has really gone out of his way trying to keep me on the right track.  The willingness of Ron and some of the other very accomplished gun builders on this forum to help the far less experienced builders is really appreciated. 

The world is full of "experts" on every subject more than willing to tell everyone how to do things they themselves don't really know how to do.  That's why it's truly amazing to find a group like exists here on this forum that have "been there; done that" and are willing to share their knowledge. 

Okay, off my soapbox and back to the workbench.

[flehto]

Thanks for the info. Although I use Goehring's #47 TG  have never used any of his BC BPs because at the time he was out.  The BC buttplate I use is from Hedgecock and has a round heel but a faceted tang. Is there a BC BP w/ a curved heel and a rounded tang ala Shuler? My exposure to BC LRs is solely through pics....very difficult to get everything right....Thanks again.....Fred

[billd]

      Don't forget Dave Keck's castings,  although they are on the high end of the price scale, they are also on the high end of the quality scale.   If you don't want to spend hours filing down a rough sand casting, then these high quality castings are for you, and they are correct. I use a lot of Reeves castings as well--It is good to have options.
      It is too bad that so many times incorrect materials are supplied with kit guns.   The term Verner is often used to describe any kit that is alleged to be a Bucks Co kit, and that attribution is based on the fact that the kit has a side opening oversized patchbox.  There is considerable difference between a Verner rifle and a Shuler rifle, although at first glance they appear much the same.  It takes time to study and learn the little nuances.
       It is refreshing that Don is attempting to be as historically correct as he can on this build.  Unfortunately, he may be far enough along on his build that correcting the butt plate may not be possible, but he already knows that he will not be caught in that trap again.  First guns are always learning experiences, I wish resources such as this forum would have been available when I began...

After last years price increase Dave's castings are not much more than Reeves.

[Tim Crosby]

 Here is a link to the Lewisburg show and it shows Reeves as having a table. So I do not imagine you will catch him this weekend. Could be wrong.

    Tim C.


    http://www.18thcenturyartisanshow.com/

[Tom Currie]

After reading the list of exhibitors I am even more disappointed that I will not be able to be there.