Author Topic: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths  (Read 2582 times)

Offline Dietle

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Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« on: February 18, 2021, 07:38:33 PM »
I spent the last 14 months trying to expand what is known about the old-time gunsmiths of Somerset and Bedford counties, Pennsylvania. I have information on 160 individuals, including interactive maps of where many of them lived, and are buried. I also have photos of 35 long rifles they produced. I keep the information on my website, for editing convenience. Please let me know if you find mistakes or have something to add: http://korns.org/gunsmiths/gunsmith-index.html

Offline wmrike

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2021, 08:19:57 PM »
Thanks for this great resource.  I have a pile of Bedford parts that have been hanging fire for, well, way too long.  This might push me over the edge.

Offline Brent English

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2021, 09:20:51 PM »
Wow! What a labor of love.  Well done sir !
Done right is better than done fast.

Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2021, 12:40:37 AM »
The folks at the Somerset Historical Center have in their collection the rifling bench used by the Somerset gunsmiths Daniel Border, Jonathan Dunmeyer, and Charles Knupp.  Also, they have at least one Knupp rifle in their collection.

Jim

Offline Dave Tercek

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2021, 01:18:25 AM »
Thank you very much !   Great information.  Great guns.

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2021, 01:26:38 AM »
 Thank you for the link, there are some good Pix in there.

   Tim C.

Offline rennikselum

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2021, 03:19:44 AM »
Thank you for sharing!

Jeff

Offline Dietle

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2021, 04:03:48 AM »
James Wilson Everett, Thanks for the tips on the rifling bench. I'll ask Mark to see it the next time I drop by the museum. I have photos of the rifles, but didn't know about the bench.

Offline FALout

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2021, 05:37:45 AM »
I only did a cursory look and what I saw was real nice, I know that had to take some work to put together.  I’ll be going back to do some reading and admiring of the pictures.
Bob
Bob

Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2021, 10:20:17 PM »
Here is an overall photo of the Border/Dunmeyer/Knupp rifling bench.  It is built on just a half log rather than squared lumber.  I have a lot more detailed photos if you wish to see them.  The rifling guide is stuck (cast lead plug inside the old rifle barrel used as the guide).  I have attempted to convince the head curator to allow me to try to free the stuck guide - but the answer for now is no.  Here is a link showing more info. 

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=27878.msg265860#msg265860

Jim

« Last Edit: February 22, 2021, 10:23:41 PM by James Wilson Everett »

Offline Dietle

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2021, 12:25:03 AM »
James Wilson Everett, Can I use your photos of the rifle bench on my korns.org gunsmithing project? If the answer is yes, do you want the photos to be posted anonymously, or with photo credits? Regards, Lannie Dietle

Offline Bob D

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2021, 07:52:01 AM »

James...I have Photos of at least seven Dunmire rifles and one C. M. Knupp rifle that  show the exact same mussel  markings as shown in the attached photo.   Would they have been made by tooling that was used to rifle the bore?  If any other of you have an opinion feel free to contribute.     ( Hope the image comes through, I am Computer challenged)

     

 


Offline James Wilson Everett

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2021, 02:16:19 PM »
Guys,

Here is a photo of the muzzle end of the rifle at the Somerset Historical Society.  It looks like Knupp liked to use this decoration.  This decoration was not done using the rifling machine, Knupp used the typical 7 groove rifling pattern, note that there are 8 dimples to match the octagon barrel.

Jim


Offline OLUT

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2021, 06:00:50 PM »
I spent the last 14 months trying to expand what is known about the old-time gunsmiths of Somerset and Bedford counties, Pennsylvania. I have information on 160 individuals, including interactive maps of where many of them lived, and are buried. I also have photos of 35 long rifles they produced. I keep the information on my website, for editing convenience. Please let me know if you find mistakes or have something to add: http://korns.org/gunsmiths/gunsmith-index.html

Great reference material ..... I sent you a pm

Offline spgordon

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2021, 07:33:58 PM »
Wow! What a lot of careful work went in to this--and what a great (and generous) way to share it.
Check out: The Lost Village of Christian's Spring
https://christiansbrunn.web.lehigh.edu/
And: The Earliest Moravian Work in the Mid-Atlantic: A Guide
https://www.moravianhistory.org/product-page/moravian-activity-in-the-mid-atlantic-guidebook

Offline lexington1

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2021, 09:50:19 PM »
A great resource. I refer to it quite often. Thanks Lannie!

realtorone

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #16 on: April 05, 2021, 03:47:03 AM »
I have a Swivel Breech with both barrels having that early rifling. Do not have equipment to post pictures.

George

Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Bedford and Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmiths
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2022, 09:25:51 PM »
Interesting that Joseph Mills is absent from his list of Bedford gunsmiths.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.