Favorite period builder, style, school etc. and why

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Keep your biscuit under control please...... Time for you to do an early Irish gun, rebuilt by Sir William Johnson in the Mohawk valley...Hey it coulda happened!!

[Don Getz]

Kind of depends on whether you want to shoot them or look at them.  If you want to shoot them, you can't beat a Beck
or an early lancaster rifle, or even those early guns of Christian's Spring.    Now, if you want a "purty" gun, by all means
get a Lehigh, or, there are many other super golden age rifles to choose from............Don

[coutios]

  Well said Don... I like to shoot um more than look at um...

Regards
Dave

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I love Lehigh rifles too.  When I built my Kuntz attempt, I chose stock dimensions that would make it a good shooter.  And a good shooter it is.  At the present, it is my favourite trail rifle.

[Keb]

I am drawn to what we call trade guns & also military arms of the 18th c.

[Ed Wenger]

This is an excellent thread, and I've enjoyed reading all the responses.  It shows the wide range of interest and tastes of the folks here, which is great.  I thought I'd jump in...

I can't think of one, so I'll cheat and give my top two; Fredrik Klette and Isaac Berlin (early work).  I feel both have similar characteristics, which probably is the reason I like them.  Step wrist architecture to begin with, I love that look.  I also am drawn to the carving.  The early Berlin has the heavily influenced Baroque carving behind the cheek piece, and the Klette, while not as Baroque, has an intricate design that is unusual.    They both  have "early" architecture, which I like, a little stocky, yet graceful.  The engraving on the Klette patch box is also fairly ornate and interesting.  In a nut shell, that's it....

           Ed

[Tom Currie]

John Rupp's carving style on the rifles on the KRA Lehigh CD have inspired my latest build. I thought my build would be more Moll- Herman Rupp style but something about the J Rupp carving really grabs me.

I'll build another Bucks or 2 also, certainly a favorite school.   

[Osprey]

I've been drawn to several particular guns, but for makers in general I keep coming back to the Maryland guys like Armstrong and the Rizers.  Gorgeous guns with lots going on, and as long as you don't get too large in caliber a joy to shoot. 

Part of it, though, is that MD is my home state and all the areas the guns were made evoke so many memories and connections.  Also because when I graduated college one professor, who had become a good friend, gave me a signed copy of Hartzler/Whisker "Maryland Longrifles".  I looked at that book for 20 years before I ever realized it was possible to make guns like that.  I guess it planted some strong seeds.

[rich pierce]

I've enjoyed reading this and have thought about my favorite(s).  In the late 1970's and early 1980's living in New Jersey I was able to attend a few gun shows in PA and also go to lots of museums with longrifles.  I first fell in love with the Verner rifle in Kindig's book and so my first build was a Bucks County rifle.  As others have stated, the wonderful long wrist and flowing lines are enticing.  Then I got to see and handle the Marshall rifle and it was a whole different animal, a real roots gun.  Jack Haugh was making some early Christians Spring styled rifles about that time and absolutely slaying them.  Then RCA 42 was pictured in Kentucky Rifles and Pistols 1750-1850 and that made a big impact on me.  So all rifles related to Christians Spring are of special interest to me.  As time has gone on, I find there's so much to enjoy in a wide variety of styles of rifles and even smoothies!

[Nate McKenzie]

I vote for Lehigh and Berks Co. rifles but there is a lot to be said for the iron mounted Southern Mt. rifles too. Oh yeah, and don't forget Upper Susquehanna which is kind of a blend of Lehigh and Berks.  Oh heck, I like just about anything that goes bang.

[Collector]

Newcomer, Antes and Fondersmith.  What's not to like about this Lancaster bunch...   There's another period builder who holds some relationship to these guys, but offhand, I can't remember his name.