the Official Un-Official " Newbie Introduction Thread.

[kutter]

I've recently, the last year or so, gotten back to BP and built a rifle again. It was my 4th.
I'm 61y/o and #'s 1,2&3 were made by me while I was still in my teens. So I've been away from it for a while!
I have been gunsmithing and engraving for the last 40+ years though, 25 of those full time. Working mostly in the restoration area on pre WW2 and earlier commercial & custom firearms, but also doing contract & freelanse engraving on modern arms also. .
Trying to be somewhat retired from that rat-race now to concentrate on my own gun related interests and projects and Longrifle building caught up with me again.

Great info here, beautiful craftsmanship. I really enjoy the site.


...Roy,,,Don't wait to start gun building and/or gunsmithing. There's no reason to wait, you'll only gain experience by starting in and trying your hand at the different tasks. There's a wealth of info around today on the net and in books that weren't available back when. Take advantage of that and go forward.
Wether you go on as a full or part time 'smith or builder or continue though life as a hobbiest and make rifles for your own enjoyment, you'll have the benefit of an entire lifetime of indulging in the craft, knowing how to do things for yourself and you'll make many fine friends along the way.

[firenbrimstone]

My name is Andy. I live in Pittsburgh, Pa. I have recently got out of the service and want to build me a long rifle.  I have built (assembled) a Lyman great plains rifle from a kit. I want to build one from part with only hand tools. I will probably become a nuisance with my questions, but please bear with me.


Andy

[greybeard]

firenbrimstone;  I am sure the members here will be looking foreward to your questions. Very helpful folks here. Saved my a#* on occasion.
Cheers & enjoy/.   Bob

[Rasch Chronicles]

Wow!

Lots of new folks! Welcome to the forum!
It's always great to meet new people, see new builds, and learn, all wrapped up at once!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
[

[Stevenjohnson9851]

Hi im Steven.  I am working on my first build.

[Rasch Chronicles]

Hi Steven!

Welcome to the Forum!
You've come to the right place to learn from the glorious accumulated knowledge of the acknowledged Maestros of all things Long Rifle, Black Powder, and other wonderific activities to numerous to mention!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™

[Rasch Chronicles]

Bump up!

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Preserving and Tanning Small Hides

[El Bango]

I guess I'm a newbie , at least to the ALR Forums .I started my firearms training in 1972 courtesy of the US Army,Military Occupational specialty 45B20 Small Arms Repairman,US Army Ordnance Center and School Aberdeen Proving Ground,MD.Repaired and test fired thousands of US and Soviet weapons,then after my ETS from the service I attended Trinidad St.Jr.College ,Trinidad CO,and recieved an A.A.S.Degree in Gunsmithing,I went to work as a job shop machinist and toolmaker in Colo Springs,Co For 15 years and back to SW CO for the last 20 years.I am now retired (medically) and finally get to pursue my passion(all those projects and theories developed while building Space Shuttles ,MX Missile parts,laser scalpels,and assorted who knows what for a multitude of diverse clientele.I think ALR is cool and I enjoy it very much. Michael 

[El Bango]

I have a small bandsaw mill and have a number of walnut logs just itching to get cut. What do you think would make a better stock, plain sawed (grain up and down) or quarter sawed (grain left to right)? What about stock thickness? Thanks, Bert

[Dennis Glazener]

I guess I'm a newbie , at least to the ALR Forums .I started my firearms training in 1972 courtesy of the US Army,Military Occupational specialty 45B20 Small Arms Repairman,US Army Ordnance Center and School Aberdeen Proving Ground,MD.Repaired and test fired thousands of US and Soviet weapons,then after my ETS from the service I attended Trinidad St.Jr.College ,Trinidad CO,and recieved an A.A.S.Degree in Gunsmithing,I went to work as a job shop machinist and toolmaker in Colo Springs,Co For 15 years and back to SW CO for the last 20 years.I am now retired (medically) and finally get to pursue my passion(all those projects and theories developed while building Space Shuttles ,MX Missile parts,laser scalpels,and assorted who knows what for a multitude of diverse clientele.I think ALR is cool and I enjoy it very much. Michael  Cool
   

Glad to have you aboard Michael. Sounds like you have the back ground to be a good builder of "American LongRifles" make yourself at home. Lots of good talented people are members of this board.
Dennis

[mudcat dale]

Howdy all,

New guy here. I'm very impressed with the attitude here and also with the work ya'll have done.

About me ..... I'm a draftsman/designer for a civil engineer.  A displaced country boy living in the city to make ends meet.  Do some flint knapping.  Worked for a while building saddles and other misc. leather stuff and did a fair bit of leather tooling.  Done a little bit of knife making.  Haven't ever built a rifle myself but very interested in it.  Love to hunt and fish.

Was curious if there were any of ya'll in the Houston/Galveston area, and if so, would you mind having someone look over your shoulder and watch you work every once in a while.

Dale

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Welcome Dale, as you have seen this is a place those of us early...in our careers as gun builders can get help from the finest pros in the world.......

[Chris Treichel]

Thank you for having this great forum. I have been avidly reading as much as I possibly can.

I love history and trying to recreate things.  My interests are all over the place and I love doing research.  I am a member of the 1st Virginia Regiment Rifle Co (Rev War) based out of the Metro DC area. I also study historical fencing with the Order of Seven Hearts and Nakamura Ryu Battodo. I build or modify all of my own equipment for all of these hobbies. So far I have built two muzzleloaders. I also finish knives, do leather, wood and metal work and reabuild Japanese and European sword grips for martial arts purposes.  I also tailor costumes for these hobbies, am fluent in German and can manage to decipher Russian. The next builds I have planned are a 1520s style hunting crossbow with bone inlay, golden age PA rifle (still narrowing it down), a German fancy Jaeger, a German rifle with wheelock, an Elliot cavalry carbine. My favorite time periods are pre 1648 European and pre 1783 American history and all the gadgets invented during those periods.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

WOW Chris...what do you do with your spare time???  Welcome BTW!!

[Mike C]

I've been reading this forum daily and with great interest, for the last year or so but have had little to contribute. I am a recently retired private lands forester with the Indiana DNR in Southern Indiana. I was infected by the BP bug at the age of 10 and have yet to recover. I have built 8 rifles since my college years and am planning for #9 in the coming year. About which I will certainly have some questions for those that are familiar with late flint period, half-stock English sporting rifles.

Mike C 

[Ecramer]

I suppose I qualify, although I've posted a couple of times. I'm a 49-year old cowboy action shooter who has a day job working in media relations for he U.S. Army. I've been away from muzzleloaders for a long time but I'm ready to get back into them and want to build a quality flintlock from a good kit -- this board is a fascinating place full of talents I can never hope to match.

[Levi Garrett]

After visiting this site almost daily for the last ten months, I'm finally making my first post. I have a great interest in longrifles and being from Hanover PA, I am particularly interested in Schroyer guns. I have built several guns to date and I feel that I am ready to step it up a little and build myself a quality rifle that I dream of. My thanks to all for the wealth of information that is shared here. Levi

[Dogshirt]

Hi, I've been on here for about 2 weeks and made a few posts before I found this
thread. Been trying to read all the pages in Gun Building, half way through the 240+ pages.
 I haven't done any building, but have been doing some "remodels" and repairs.
 I will be getting into building in the future to fill the down time associated with the construction
trade. And to fulfill the need to create things that got me into construction in the first place.
I have 8 acres of the finest rock and sagebrush that central Washington has to offer, and can just
step out my door and shoot when I want, assuming our famous wind allows!
Great forum!

[pake]

Hello All!

Pake here. I live in western Minnesota, not far from Fargo, ND. I've built a few guns and shoot a little bp, among many other pastimes. Recently retired, I'm curious about other builders in this area. Any others in my neck of the "big woods"?

pake

[Dphariss]

Hello All!

Pake here. I live in western Minnesota, not far from Fargo, ND. I've built a few guns and shoot a little bp, among many other pastimes. Recently retired, I'm curious about other builders in this area. Any others in my neck of the "big woods"?

pake

Welcome.
Here is a place to look.
But it might take some time.
Track of The Wolf might know of someone if they can give out the info.
Dan

[MeatStick]

Hey, I'm 43 years old from the hills of West By God Virgina, now living in Ohio. My childhood hero was and is Lewis Wetzel. I have been hunting, trapping and camping primitive most of my life. I just started my first build of a .32 cal Rayl barrel, L&R Bailes lock and curly maple blank in the hopes of having  full stock poorboy when I finish..

[Dennis Glazener]

Welcome to ALR. I am another 32 flint shooter but I am from your neighbor (and parent) state VA. I love shooting flint rifles but the most fun of all is shooting the 32.

Make yourself at home. I hope you enjoy your stay.
Dennis

[MeatStick]

I lived in Lynchburg for part of my childhood. I lost my .32 and most of my BP stuff in a fire a couple of years back and have been making new stuff to replace it. My .32 was my do all and went where ever I went.

[Rangerdave]

Hello all-

I am new to flintlock building and recently completed my first build - a .50 cal Isaac Haines styled kit from Track of the Wolf. Shoots wonderfully. It's far from perfect but I definitely got the 'bug'! My interest in flintlocks stems from my education in 17th and 18th century North American history, specifically frontier issues and French projections of empire and trade. Thus, I am very interested in producing historically accurate guns found in various records. Also, I am a park ranger at a historic site and I use flintlocks as teaching tools during public demonstrations.

So far, the construction learning curve hasn't been terribly steep as I have several years experience in guitar repair and custom work.

I am very much looking forward to learning as much as I can from you guys. I am very impressed at the caliber (pun intended?  ) of workmanship and craftsmanship I see in various posts.

I am located near Nashville, TN.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Have you been up to meet Tip Curtis in Cross Plains, TN yet? You will find him to be a fine gentleman and well supplied with most things you may want or need for building flintlocks. Get him to give you a tour.