Question for Bob Roller about Steve Alexander

[davec2]

Bob,

On my thread about a new Dragoon pistol, you mentioned Steve Alexander.  Many years ago now I saw a photo in an ad for an NRA magazine ("Man at Arms") that featured a rifle built by Steve.  It was only a single picture and did not show the entire rifle... but I was completely taken with the parts that I could see.  In 2012 I managed to track Steve down and ask him about the rifle and if he had any additional photos of it.  He was very gracious but said he didn't have any photos at all but he gave me the name of the photographer who took the cover photo. He also mentioned that if I was trying to build a similar rifle I would have difficulty finding a lock like that one.

David Wesbrook was the photographer who had taken the photo and I eventually found him and was in contact.  He told me he had only taken a photo of one view of the rifle for the advertisement and didn't have any others.  I did purchase a larger print from him that showed more of the rifle, which was a help.  I wanted to ask you if you knew any more about this particular rifle and specifically if you knew who the owner was.  Both Steve and David were reluctant to tell me who owned the rifle.  Ultimately all I am looking for is more photos of the rifle and have now been on a decade long quest to find them.  These are the only photos I have.......

[Bob Roller]

Dave,
Going into the fog of a very old memory I think that lock may have been a collaberation between Lynton McKenzie and Steve.
I had some odd parts that I found,maybe at Friendship that could have been involved but can'r say for sure.At one time there
were a variety of very limited parts sets for locks and when they were used they were not repeated and at one time I should
have bought some for one of a kind English locks.I have no idea as to where Steve is now and I think Lynton Passed in 1998.
Bob Roller

[kutter]

There is an article with those two highlighted together.
I think the article was in RIFLE magazine,,not absolutely sure.
I will plow thru my stack of Rifle and Handloader magazines and see what I come up with.

I might be thinking of a  different magazine, different rifle.
But I do remember Steven Alexander and Lynton MacKenzie in an article.

[kutter]

It's RIFLE magazine Issue #85, January-February 1983.
Cover pic is an original British LongRange target rifle owned at that time by Lynton MacKenzie.

Article inside on pg 15 by John Bivins (One of my favorite writers and builders, since passed)
A series done in RIFLE called 'American Gunmakers'.
This issue highlighting both Stephen Alexander and Lynton MacKenzie together in the same article

In the article among other things is a 'Documentary copy of a London rifle from about 1780'.

B&W pics only.
A pic of the bottom of the rifle  showing trigger guard
One of the cased set  w/bbl dismounted and placed inside the case.
The accessorys displayed outside the case.
One of the rifle's lock & trigger guard area of the gun.
Lastly a pic of the assembled lock alone (dismounted from the gun) and showing the inside of the mechanism.

One other shot of a **edited** frame engraved by MacKenzie.

Quite a lengthy article for a magazine but most focus is on the bio of both as would be expected.

One bit I did pick up from the article is that rifle they built was an exact copy of an original Mortimer rifle.
The original had been located by Lynton and he 'steered' Mr Alexander to it knowing his extreme liking for that period English flint rifle. Stephen bought the original.
That's where the making the of the documented copy began.
Some call it a bench copy I guess. Others a 'strict' copy.

I don't think copyright will allow me to post pics of the magazine pics.
Don't want to get the Forum into any of that entanglement.

PM me, I'll send you the magazine if you want it and it will help you out.
I think it's served it's purpose on the shelf in my shop long enough.
Kind of dog eared from being read so many times!

Jim

[davec2]

Bob,

Thank you for your response....and Jim, Yes! I would love to have the magazine.  I will send a PM.....and thank you as well for the response and the information !!!

[JHeath]

Looks much like other English sporting rifles except it’s carved and the barrel is pinned. Which suggests it is full stock.

I’m new to them but have looked at many online. Particularly late flint ones. They generally aren’t carved. To me (again, amateur), that suggests the earlier ones that were more influenced by jaegers.

If you don’t find the photo you are free to invent the rest of it. That might be better than finding the photo.

[Mike Brooks]

Looks much like other English sporting rifles except it’s carved and the barrel is pinned. Which suggests it is full stock.

I’m new to them but have looked at many online. Particularly late flint ones. They generally aren’t carved. To me (again, amateur), that suggests the earlier ones that were more influenced by jaegers.

If you don’t find the photo you are free to invent the rest of it. That might be better than finding the photo.

Buy books instead of looking at pictures on the internet.  You'll get a far better  education on English guns

[JHeath]

Looks much like other English sporting rifles except it’s carved and the barrel is pinned. Which suggests it is full stock.

I’m new to them but have looked at many online. Particularly late flint ones. They generally aren’t carved. To me (again, amateur), that suggests the earlier ones that were more influenced by jaegers.

If you don’t find the photo you are free to invent the rest of it. That might be better than finding the photo.

Buy books instead of looking at pictures on the internet.  You'll get a far better  education on English guns

I’m all ears. Name ‘em.

Fwiw I’ve found many original London flintlock rifles both archived and current on auction pages. I’m pretty much only looking at originals. Most are after 1780 though.

Many auction pages have photos from multiple angles. Some have detailed descriptions but not most.

I’m not looking for contemporary builds though I run across them and most are nice to look at.