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Author Topic: Wheland  (Read 7959 times)

Offline Mike Brooks

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Wheland
« on: February 06, 2013, 03:30:43 PM »
Can't believe no one has mentioned Marks Moravian fowling gun. Tremendous piece of work!
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 12:50:20 AM by aka tallbear »
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Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Keb

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2013, 04:04:49 PM »
It's a very, very nice piece. I'd like to see the whole profile. I also love the finishes.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2013, 04:34:20 PM »
Here's the link: http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2013/02/mark-wheland-moravian-fowler.html

Terrific gun. The carving is 'just right' in my opinion. This is a great example of a working gun, done in workmanlike fashion. Nothing wasted, nothing fussed over, and spot-on in decoration and architecture.
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Offline sqrldog

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2013, 04:44:30 PM »
super nice work. I really like the way the lock panels flow into the wrist.
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Offline Kermit

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2013, 05:34:21 PM »
It's "Wheland," if you're trying to find him. http://www.markwhelandrifles.com/

Mark worked under Allen Martin--Allen was the one who sent me his way a couple years back. Mark's among the best, IMO. I REALLY like this fowling piece!
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2013, 05:46:28 PM »
Other than the fact that Mark named it thus, why would this beautiful gun be called a "fowler" as opposed to a "smooth rifle" or "buck & ball" gun??

It is a different and beautiful architecture!!
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Offline RAT

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2013, 05:59:41 PM »
The most appropriate term would probably be "smooth rifle" (a smooth bore with rifle stock architecture). The term "smooth rifle" appears in ad's during the 18th century.  Fowlers normally don't have cheek pieces. The term "buck & ball" seems to be strictly a modern term that has appeared within the last few years. Personally, I don't find it very appropriate. You can load "Buck & Ball" into the front end of any smooth bore. It doesn't have anything to do with styling.
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Bob

Offline Kermit

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2013, 06:19:40 PM »
Strictly speaking, and being HC I understand, the term is "fowling piece." A "fowler" is a person who goes fowling with a fowling piece. If it's important. If Mark called it a Hessian Bird Buster, I'd still like it. A lot.
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Offline rich pierce

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2013, 06:53:47 PM »
Based on or inspired by a fine original that is in the Moravian Gunmakers book and also I believe in the Grinslade Colonial Fowlers book.
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Andover, Vermont

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2013, 07:40:50 PM »
Sorry for the name mis spell. If it has a rear sight it's a smooth rifle . If has no rear sight it's a fowling gun.
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Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline M. Wheland

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Re: Wheyland
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2013, 07:42:27 PM »
Guys, Glad you like the gun and thanks for the comments.  I can't take credit for the name though. Others more knowledgable than myself have studied the original and found fit to call it a fowler. The way I see it...."Call me anything you like. Just don't call me late for supper!"

There are a couple of things that set the original gun apart from the  rifles made in the moravian shop.
The barrel is a thin walled European fowler barrel, no rifle gaurd, no patchbox and the overall profile is much more slender and elegant.

To me the original gun is a key piece in the evolution between the Moravian Shop and the Allentown-Lehigh school and that's just way too cool!

Mark
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 05:21:45 AM by M. Wheland »
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Offline Don Getz

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2013, 01:41:20 AM »
Yeah, that's pretty nice Wheland,  but, can you build a barn gun, complete with "staples"?.....ha, ha.........Don
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Offline Tom Currie

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2013, 05:38:53 AM »
Mark, Your fowler is really well done and inspiring. I've see the original only in Shumway's Longrifles of Note book. Does the original have the indian head/liberty head carving in front of the TG tang as your's does ? You mention you view the original as a connecting link from Allentown to CS and I am wondering if that is part of your thoughts on that subject. Longrifles of Note does not have a picture of that area.   
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Offline M. Wheland

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #13 on: February 07, 2013, 06:29:51 AM »
Don... Copper staples?  Hmmm....You sure he didn't ask for some silver wire? ha,ha

Kermit...Hessian Bird Buster.... I like it!

Brooks... You can't butcher my family name any worse than we already have. I'm told that they're are more than 20 different spellings. I think I might sign my next rifle "Wheyland"

Tom.. No Indian on the original. I just felt like putting one there.
One feature of the fowler that I don't see on any of the other Moravian guns is an open end nose cap that wraps over the top of the stock and terminates inside the barrel channel. I could be wrong but the only other guns I know of that have this feature are later Lehigh rifles.

Mark
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2013, 06:51:26 AM »
Wow, nice gun, I like it alot.  How thick of brass sheet did you use for the open end nose cap?
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Offline B Shipman

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #15 on: February 07, 2013, 07:47:01 AM »
I had a chance to buy this gun at the Vince Nolt auction in the eary 80's for a reasonable price and was to broke at the time. Marks rendition is brilliant and dead on. I don't think anyone could do better.
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Offline Longknife

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #16 on: February 07, 2013, 06:27:37 PM »
Mark, Can you give us some specs? Barrel maker , length, ga, whose hardware, weight?  AWESOME!!!!! Thanks, Ed
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Ed Hamberg

Offline rich pierce

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #17 on: February 08, 2013, 01:21:04 AM »
Quote from: Longknife on February 07, 2013, 06:27:37 PM
Mark, Can you give us some specs? Barrel maker , length, ga, whose hardware, weight?  AWESOME!!!!! Thanks, Ed

The original was also published by Shumway in Muzzle Blasts December 1993.  The 39.5" long, .66 bore barrel was 1.125" at the breech and super thin at the muzzle.  Buttplate was just 1 and 21/32 wide.
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Offline M. Wheland

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Re: Wheland
« Reply #18 on: February 08, 2013, 02:15:50 AM »
I had forgotten about Shumway's article.

My gun has a 41in. oct/rnd 20ga. Getz barrel, 1-1/16" breech, 13/16" muzzle
 Chambers Early Ketland lock w/ unbridled frizzen.
Reaves Geohring-Early Bonewitz butt plate 4-1/2" x 1-5/8"
Gaurd is my own pattern. I formed the pipes from .032 sheet, nosecap from .020 sheet and the sideplate from .100 sheet.

Mark
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