2018 2nd Alabama-Kentucky Rifle Show photos

[Carl Young]

We're having a good time , the show is another sellout.  Ed Rayl Barrels, Charlie Burton Barrels, Harrison Gunstocks, Jack Garner, sorry if I've left some out, I'm still making the rounds. Lots of original and contemporary guns for sale and on display. A big group of ALR members are here. Wish you were here Dennis!!
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Show overview:







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[Marcruger]

I see Ron Hess, Walter Mabry and Marvin Kemper.  :-)  Wish I was there with y'all.  On the other hand, my wallet says it is happier here.  Heh, heh.  Thank you for the photos.   God Bless,   Marc

[Carl Young]

Another batch of photos from Friday afternoon. I didn't have plans to buy anything but couldn't resist buying stock blanks and barrels, hope that will be enough of a "fix" until the show is over and temptation is not staring me in the face.

[Stoner creek]

I picked up a really nice little Joe Long gun from Marvin Kemper today. Tickled to death!! Should have brought more of my 401-k!!!!

[Joey R]

Are we going to see that Joe Long at Boonesborough ?

[Stoner creek]

Joe will be happy to attend.

[Robin Henderson]

We were there across from Cade's Cove Fiddler.


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[Eric Krewson]

I was just going for the morning on Friday but had such a great time talking to folk I stayed until 2PM. I may go back today, I only live 30 minutes away.

[Tim Crosby]

 Thanks for the Pix.

     Tim C.

[1sogdusm]

My daughter and I enjoyed the show and look forward to next year.  It was great to meet a number of ALR folks and put faces to the names. Great show!

[David G]

I was just going for the morning on Friday but had such a great time talking to folk I stayed until 2PM. I may go back today, I only live 30 minutes away.

Eric, enjoyed talking with you over at the contemporary builders gun display if you remember. Nice show and there seemed like a bunch of great folks there. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.

[Eric Krewson]

I went this afternoon and the place was almost empty, all the collectors and vendors had packed up and left. If you go tomorrow the convention hall will be vacant.

[Carl Young]

The Booshway himself, Rifleman Jim Parker


Handsome Jaeger rifle that Stan was kind enough to let me handle










Jack Garner, hard for me to believe I've known Jack for 40 years!


Michael Briggs display




Charlie Burton FCI Barrels, had a lot of fun talking barrel making with Charlie. He does really good work.


Curt, Jerry and Bob, I can learn more from listening to these guys than from most of the books I have.


Nathan from Harrsion Gunstocks [back corner],  Ron with a table of really fine horns, Randal Pierce who gave a great presentation on Southern longrifles of Appalachia.




Another Alabama guy, I always look forward to seeing...Brice.



Bob, Jim, Gerald, Tommy, and Jerry present a special rifle to Stan


Thank you to everyone there for being so kind and generous with your knowledge and sharing your treasures.

Carl

[Ky-Flinter]

I went this afternoon and the place was almost empty, all the collectors and vendors had packed up and left. If you go tomorrow the convention hall will be vacant.

Yes, the hall will be vacant tomorrow.  The show ended today at 4:00pm, but as often happens, I'm sure many attendees left early. Still looks like it was a heck of a show.  Thanks for posting the pictures.

-Ron

[steve1122]

We just got back from the show, and had a great time! Just like a family reunion. Special thanks to Cades Cove Fiddler, and Charlie Burton for their help with my gun.

[Stoner creek]

Unfortunately the weather scared several folks away. If you missed it, well that’s a shame. I was lucky enough to bring home a fine little Joe Long gun. Thanks Marvin for the good deal. I’m in hopes of going back next year.




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How bout it Ron, would you want to go next time?

[gumboman]

Had a great time at the show. Caught up with friends and had a lot of laughs. Saw some great original and really fantastic contemporary guns. It really helps to study great guns built by gunsmiths who know the correct architecture. It helps me with my own builds.

Bought a cool rear sight and Thoughts on Kentucky Rifles in it's Golden Age by Kindig, a book I have long wanted, plus other miscellaneous gadgets and gizmos I can use.

The venue is great. Weather was not a problem.

[Ky-Flinter]

......  How bout it Ron, would you want to go next time?

Sure would like to.  Looks like it was a great show.

-Ron

[Carl Young]

Ed Rayl, one of the nicest guys you will meet and a great barrel maker and gunsmith:


View of the Tennessee river backwater from a Lodge balcony; all the rooms have this view. Big rooms with 'fridge, microwave, coffee maker. The show room and restaurant were located on the ground level of the Lodge. All very convenient, with State Park Rangers guarding the show room.

[Dennis Glazener]

Ed Rayl, one of the nicest guys you will meet and a great barrel maker and gunsmith:

Yes, I agree with that statement. The first time I attended the TN Longrifle show (first time it was held at Museum Of The Appalachia) and also the first time I had ever been a table holder, Ed Rayl was set-up beside me. In 5 min it was like being around someone you had known all your life. Great guy, great barrel maker and also a good builder.
Dennis

[54ball]

 Some of you may not know this.
 About a mile to the east of the lodge is Lambs Ferry Road. Elements of Col John Coffees Army crossed the river there and at the confluence of the Elk Rive 5 miles to the East in October in October 1813. This was during the Restick War.
 Davy Crockett and George Russel were advanced Scouts for Coffee's Army. Crockett wrote of several horses being stuck in the shoals. He said it was one of the saddest sights in his life, to ride off and leave those horses stuck in the river.

 Across from the Elk on the Southside of the Tennessee is Meltons Bluff covered by the reservoir. John Melton was a Creek Chief of Creek and Scott ancestry. Melton became rich robbing flatboats that became stuck on the Muscle Shoals. He was a river pirate.
 By the early 1800s Melton found it more profitable and respectful to guide the flatboats through the Shoals instead of robbing them and murdering thier crews. Andrew Jackson bought Meltons Plantation in 1815.

 About 20 miles to the west of Joe Wheeler Lodge was Cherokee Chief Doublehead's tavern. The tavern stood until Hwy 72 was expanded sometime in the 60s. In 1805 Doublehead traded all Cherokee land North of the Tennessee and West of the Elk for Land in Arkansas and fine longrifle.
 For this trade he was executed assasinated by the Cherokee Law Menders The Ridge and John Ross at Tellico.
 Cherokee Chief John Watts called Doublehead the "Baby Killer" for his Tomahawkimg of the Cavett children one of whom was in Watt's lap as he tried to rescue the boy. This was the raid on Cavetts station that started the Cherokee War of 1794.
 The day before the Cavett raid, Doublehead feasted with the Tennesseans and John Sevier treating peace. On the way back from the banquet, Doublehead encountered a Creek Murder party. The temptation was too great and his band joined the Creek Party and attacked the same Tennesseans he had treated with the day before. One of the victims was John Seviers son.
 Doublehead was also known as "The Canibal" for allegedly eating two white hunters trespassing on Cherokee land. Sam Dale a trader and wagoner asked Doublehead about this. Doublehead claimed he was not a canibal as human flesh was...."Too Salty".
 Doublehead succeeded Dragging Canoe as Chief of the Chickamauga Cherokee.

 About 30 miles or so to the Nortwest was the location of two Cherokee graves where the remains of two Longrifles were found. It is thought that these Warriors were casualties of the raid on Nash's Station in 1779.

 Across the River to the South about 30 miles is Indian Tomb Hollow. Indian Tomb hollow was the sight of a large battle between the Creek and Chickasaw. It is not known for certain if this battle took place in the French and Indian War or the Revolution. The battle site is marked by a large Marker Tree shaped like football goal post. The marker tree stands within yards of the Gillespie Cemetery. The tree marks a boundary line between the Creek, Cherokee and Chickasaw.

 Also at Indian Tomb Hollow is the High House Hill where the Gillespie Family built a fine home.
 A few miles to the Southwest of Indian Tomb Hollow,is Bull Mountain where the Gunsmith John Bull lived and built longrifles.

 The Kennedys also built rifles close to the Wheeler Lodge.

 10 miles East of the Wheeler Lodge stood Fort Hampton where a Regiment of US Rifleman protected Cherokee and Chickasaw land from White interlopers. RR buttons for Rifle Regiment have been recovered from the sight.

 20 or so miles down river from the Lodge are great mounds of Muscle Shells from centuries of being harvested by the Indians. These mounds are covered by Wilson Lake. This is how Muscle Shoals got it's name.

 At Florence down river from the Lodge was heard the cannon from the battle of Shiloh in 1862. Shiloh is some 60 miles from Florence.

 15 or so miles to the East is Athens where in 1862 The Methodist Women College stands. The Methodist women wrote Lincoln to keep Federal troops from burning the college. It was spared.

 In Florence and Decatur are 2 Antebellum Methodist Churches that Federal troops used as stables during occupation.

 Nathan Bedord Forrest would cross the Tennessee and Raid Federal Areas. It is rumored he pulled two cannon submerged along the river bottom to cross the Elk.

 My great Grandfather worked on Wheeler Dam in The Depression until his friend working next to him was decapitated by a cable.
 To this day the locals resent the TVA for taking thier farms during the 30s. Just up river from the Lodge it a submerged tractor that my father tied his boat to the steering wheel to to fish.

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... Well, I think I have partially recovered from the sensory overload of so many fine guns (both original and contemporary), builder supplies, and friendly folk that I can comment on the show ..... WHAT A GREAT TIME ... !!! .... As I said in an earlier post, I had a table but spent most of my time visiting and looking at other displays ... Want to thank everyone for the friendliness in sharing their collections and builds and info on these guns ... also thanx to Carl and Robin for posting pix .... and Randall Pierce for the great presentation on "Smoky Mountain Rifles" (a subject near to my own heart) ... great to finally meet many on this site who came by and introduced themselves ... we all agreed that this is the best site .. !! .... Carl did a great job promoting the ALR site ... And thanx to the walk-in visitors who have since joined us here ..... Again, good to see all you'ns and missed all who couldn't attend .... Thanx to Jim Parker for having us, and hope to see all soon .... perhaps at Lake Cumberland ...? ..... Regards, C C Fiddler     

[John SMOthermon]

I wish I could have made it down for the week end.

I made the trip down on Thursday and got to meet The Cade’s Cove Fiddler and Mr. & Mrs Wobblyshot.

It was great to put a face with some of the Members on here.

I’m glad the show was another success and I’m looking forward to next years show already.

Thanks to everyone who posted pictures and everyone who supported the show.

[mountainad82]

Had a great time talking to all of you fine folks and learned a great deal. Thanks to Jim for putting this show on! Got to meet Cades Cove Fiddler and discuss an old hog rifle of mine.  Enjoyed Randal’s presentation on Smoky Mountain rifles (my favorite subject). I will have a table for the first time at the Tennessee Show in April. Drop by and say hello.

Adam Wright

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... good to meet up with you, Adam   ..... this was a great show ... "old gun overload" ,,, !!! .... I could talk old hog rifles for days on end ....seems that someone is always finding a previously unknown one that they are willing to bring and share with us fans .... See yous all in April ... !!! .... Regards, C C Fiddler ...