I have read all of your post & appreciate you fellows sharing them. As a Johnny come lately , I don't have a good story. I think it was about 12 or 13 years ago I first heard of gunsmiths making rifles in this area in the 1800s. You guys did a good job at keeping it a secret. I think my first Hampshire county rifle was acquired on Gunbroker from the "Hurricane From Virginia. I sold that rifle a few years back. Thanks Fred for the other two you sold me a lil later. But to be honest it was James B whisker who told me about makers in this area, maybe a year or two earlier. If it was not for him, I would still be putting pre-war-Winchesters in my safes. So James, this drink is to you & I hope you have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New year.
The following is not a great story , but represents the mindset of a unrepentant collector. For several years I had envied the early percussion signed Z. Sheetz that "Douglas" on here displayed at the shows. But always seemed to be out of folding money when It was in front of me. Then at a show maybe Hodges Virginia show , "Jim Francis" had this early percussion signed R P , that looked like it must of came out of Zeb's shop. I knew I had to get one , but was torn to which it would be. I left the show without either rifle. A few weeks later I told my friend, "Homerifle " my quandary. he said "this is simple", I looked confused. He added "buy both" . So to make a long story short, I contacted both & met them at the same place & time, halfway from my home & theirs. You know I had to smoke machined rolled stogies & drink cheap whiskey for awhile, but it was worth it. Pardon my poor grammar , but where I come from reading don't mean much & writing even less, LOL.
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