A. Hamilton builder

[MuskratMike]

Today I met a gentleman with a vintage Boone rifle made decades ago by A. Hamilton. Anyone know of this builder?

[teakmtn]

Back in the mid 80's I accumulated parts for a Tennessee rifle, but broke both my hands in a accident. I looked around for a builder to finish the rifle so it'd be ready for hunting season. Asher Hamilton was recommended to me as a fellow that may put together my rifle. He was retired as a rifle builder as he was responding to the call to be a pastor. He did finish my rifle and did a fantastic job. I still have that rifle, it is my pride and joy. I do not know if he got back into building rifles or not. At that time he lived in Oregon. I hope this ramble helps.

[Bob Roller]

That name.Asher Hamilton rang a small bell and NOW it got louder.
I think I sold him some locks many years ago.I hope he is till alive
and doing well as a pastor or retired gunmaker.

Bob Roller

[Ron Scott]

Asher Hamilton got his start working for the Oregon Gun Works in Springfield Or. He Moved to Newport Or. in the early 80s and did business under the name Lincoln Co. Gun Works.  I think he ceased work about 1982 and I have not heard of him since.

[Notchy Bob]

Mike,

I can't help you with regard to Mr. Hamilton, but I am intrigued by the "vintage Boone rifle."  Is there any way you can post some pictures?

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

[MuskratMike]

If I saved the pictures I will post when I get home next week.

[bwright]

Asher Hamilton built four of my guns.
Sadly, I only have three now.
Cosmetically, his guns were very good, but his engineering was where he really shined.
Since 1981, I have only replaced 1 mainspring, and flint locktimes are faster than I have seen from any other builder.

I photographed his catalog in 1982 (see attached)
The Fowler, Emmitsburg, Tennessee, & Halfstock Hawken were my guns at the time.
He sold his equipment in the late 1980s, and 1994 was the last time I heard from him.
His former wife said he died a few years ago, but People Search says he still lives in the Portland OR area.
Hope this helps.

[Ron Scott]

Asher was making several models of long guns utilizing precarved stocks of the day. He was proud of his version of an Emmitsburg  Rifle, it had the expected brass patchbox and inlays. I do recall his aversion to black walnut, his skin would develop massive blisters when working this species. When he split with his wife, he disappeared from the muzzle loading scene. At that time there were about eight professional muzzle loading gun makers in Oregon.

[SDH]

I took over Asher Hamilton's place building guns for Green River forge/Oregon Gun works in July 1978 in Springfield, Oregon. Asher moved to the Oregon coast and announced Lincoln County RW. Many of the rifles he offered were similar to what he built for GRF/OGW. He continued to build guns as Ron describes above. I later managed the two businesses until I moved into my own workshop in Eugene, OR about 1980.
Steven Dodd Hughes