When I arrived in Fayetteville, NC in September of '70, courtesy of "Uncle Sam", I asked around for a muzzleloading gun club, and was pointed to the Fayetteville Arsenal Muzzle Loading Gun Club. There, I met up with Lew Sanchez. I was assigned to the Special Forces HQ, and Lew was the Property Book Officer for the 82nd Airborne Division.
We got "wind" of a gunsmith operating a gunmaker's shop in the Cardinal Shopping Center in Winston-Salem, NC, and paid Frank Burton a visit. We came away from there having each of us purchasing a flint longrifle in one of the Penn. styles for $ 350.00. Mr. Burton favored the Lancaster School patterns from Joe Kindig’s book, “Thoughts on The Ky Rifle in the Golden Age”. Lew's rifle was #102, and mine was #103. So I think your rifle was made maybe 1971-72.
Frank introduced us to his resident engraver, Jack Spain, whose work "bit" Lew badly. Lew went home to order engraving tools from Frank Mittermeir out of NY. Frank then introduced Lew later to a gunsmith working out of, as I recall, the second oldest house in Old Salem. The gunsmith was John Bivins. That was the beginning of a lasting relationship.
I'll have to do some more 'recollecting', but Frank moved to Pawley's Island, SC where he lived until dying of cancer.
Might have some photos somewhere.
Hope this helps,
Buck Buchanan
Fayetteville, NC
Field Rep-NC
NMLRA
