Author Topic: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle  (Read 4319 times)

Offline Daniel Coats

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My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« on: August 14, 2021, 11:04:15 PM »
Here's a few pictures of the rifle that Don made for me and my fifth great-grandfather. I gave Don the specifications from a document about my fifth great-grandfather who was a Rev war veteran. Don and I enjoyed the build process very much. The rifle is 66 caliber and shoots a 1 oz ball. I added the sling and attachments also the thumb piece and the North Star bead inlays behind the cheek piece.
Rifle was made a couple of years ago but pictures are from today. I'm especially fond of the first one Sign, Gnome, and gun!















« Last Edit: August 15, 2021, 02:53:42 AM by Daniel Coats »
Dan

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Offline wattlebuster

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2021, 11:28:49 PM »
Very nice Daniel. I like it. Ill bet that hits its target like a freight train
Nothing beats the feel of a handmade southern iron mounted flintlock on a cold frosty morning

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2021, 11:58:20 PM »
Yes definitely suitable for nearly all North American big game with the exception of grizzly bears. My ancestor who had a similar rifle was a very famous hunter and lived from 1745 to 1830.
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline MuskratMike

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2021, 12:23:21 AM »
That is one fine rifle!
Working with Don was a great pleasure on both of the ones I have that he built (see my article in the August issue of Muzzle Blasts) featuring the last one he made for me. It has the same patch box as yours. Don told me as I remember he had only used that patch box 1 other time. It looks like we something in common. If I ever get back through Colorado I will stop by and see this fine piece for myself or if you ever get to Oregon look me up. Can I be 1st in line for the Soddy Daisy if you ever get a wild hair to sell it?
Thank you for posting this rifle, seriously you just made my day.
"Muskrat" Mike







« Last Edit: August 15, 2021, 01:00:14 AM by MuskratMike »
"Muskrat" Mike McGuire
Keep your eyes on the skyline, your flint sharp and powder dry.

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2021, 12:42:06 AM »
Attractive guns. Very Bruton-esque
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
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 MuskratMike

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2021, 12:57:37 AM »
Mike Brooks:
Daniel and I are going to start a Don Bruton fan club. I can sell you a membership at a reduced price if you get in early!
"Muskrat" Mike McGuire
Keep your eyes on the skyline, your flint sharp and powder dry.

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2021, 01:11:23 AM »
Mike Brooks:
Daniel and I are going to start a Don Bruton fan club. I can sell you a membership at a reduced price if you get in early!

I'm definitely a fan and I'm sure there are many others! :)
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2021, 01:21:39 AM »
That is one fine rifle!
Working with Don was a great pleasure on both of the ones I have that he built (see my article in the August issue of Muzzle Blasts) featuring the last one he made for me. It has the same patch box as yours. Don told me as I remember he had only used that patch box 1 other time. It looks like we something in common. If I ever get back through Colorado I will stop by and see this fine piece for myself or if you ever get to Oregon look me up. Can I be 1st in line for the Soddy Daisy if you ever get a wild hair to sell it?
Thank you for posting this rifle, seriously you just made my day.
"Muskrat" Mike


Thanks Mike!

I'll have a table at the Colorado Gun Collectors show this fall and it would be great to meet you sometime. Bob McBride has first right of refusal on the Soddy Daisy gun but I don't think it will be sold in my lifetime.
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Online Keith Zimmerman

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2021, 04:25:37 AM »
I love it.  I almost feel sorry for any steel gongs near ur place.

Offline Fly Navy

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2021, 08:19:36 AM »
The inlay of Ursa Major on the butt is different.

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #10 on: August 15, 2021, 04:45:07 PM »
I love it.  I almost feel sorry for any steel gongs near ur place.

Thanks Keith I haven't tried that yet!  :)
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #11 on: August 15, 2021, 04:55:10 PM »
The inlay of Ursa Major on the butt is different.

Yes different and perhaps unique on a longrifle but has deep personal meaning to me. The blue and white pony beads are from my mountain man phase. I researched the constellation and used a printer to get the location of each start correct and the overall group position during the hunting month of October in the northern hemisphere. It also commemorates my bear hunting trips to Alaska and northern Canada and points the way for my return.

Here's something from Wikipedia:
Ursa Major (also known as the Great Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory.

Thanks for the comment!  :)
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2021, 05:11:43 PM »
Here's the document I mentioned and part of the inspiration for having a representative rifle built once owned by my 5th great-grandfather. Many thanks to Don Bruton for helping me!

A History of The Early Settlement of Highland County Ohio By Daniel Scott, ESQ.  Printed at The Gazette Office 1890.

This year (1806) Heth Hart, father of Joel, with his family, arrived from North Carolina at Nat Pope’s.  Heth was a famous—a mighty hunter, indeed, and he carried a rifle of proportionate calibre—capable of throwing an ounce ball to a great distance for those days, and with such unerring aim as to prove fatal to whatever unlucky “varmint” happened within its range.  Shortly after he came out he erected a cabin at a spring at the upper side of George Wilson’s orchard, on Clear Creek—the farm afterward owned by Albert Swearingen and converted into a vineyard.  This cabin was most characteristic in appearance.  It was built on the general model of the primitive “rough log cabin” of the time, but the exterior was literally covered with the trophies of the chase.  The buck horns were generally tossed up on the roof, until, from the vast quantity slain by Heth, it became covered; while the sides and ends were literally plastered with the stretched skins of every variety of wild animal from deer down to raccoon.  In the interior were stowed bears’ skins, beaver, fox, and all kinds of peltries known in this country as valuable in those days.  Added to these were the carcasses of deer hanging against the walls, from which the family cut and eat as hunger and inclination prompted.  Their beds were skins of animals and the ponderous rifle, tomahawk and shot pouch of otter skin, the skin of the face of the animal, nose down, swung for the flap, hung, when not in use, the first on two wooden hooks over the door and the others at the side, convenient at a moment’s warning to be put in immediate requisition.
Heth and his sons followed the chase for many years, making hills resound with the reports of their rifles, old Heth’s being easily distinguished from all others by its unusually heavy report.  Indeed, to the people of the time it was known for miles around.  They could always tell when “old Heth” was out and tradition has it that his rifle could be heard reverberating through the still woods and over the hill as far as a four pounder.  Heth was a man of decided mark.  His nose was diseased and grew constantly larger and redder to the day of his death, and when he used to range the Clear Creek and Rocky Fork hills, as was always announced by the boom of his big gun, he wore moccasins, leather leggins, hunting shirt and fox skin cap, and his tremendous large and fiery looking nose was generally the first part of Heth that became visible through the brush after the report of his gun was heard. 
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline DBoone

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2021, 05:57:12 PM »
Wow, Daniel!  This is my first look at your additions to the rifle.....Excellent!  I love it!  I knew it would be good......

You and Muskrat Mike would really have an awesome time if you ever met.  Both of you are dedicated, high-energy flintlock lovers, for sure!.....and any gunmaker who gets to work with either of you is lucky and fortunate, indeed!  Thank you!


Online Keith Zimmerman

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #14 on: August 16, 2021, 05:05:07 AM »
Post ur target when u get time.  Lets see what the bear rifle will do.

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #15 on: August 16, 2021, 06:28:56 PM »
Wow, Daniel!  This is my first look at your additions to the rifle.....Excellent!  I love it!  I knew it would be good......

You and Muskrat Mike would really have an awesome time if you ever met.  Both of you are dedicated, high-energy flintlock lovers, for sure!.....and any gunmaker who gets to work with either of you is lucky and fortunate, indeed!  Thank you!

Thank you Don that means a lot to me!
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #16 on: August 16, 2021, 06:33:15 PM »
Post ur target when u get time.  Lets see what the bear rifle will do.

Will do, finding the time and place is my problem. It's an hour and a half drive both ways right now.
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Rajin cajun

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2021, 12:10:45 AM »
Daniel, great , great , family history . Really enjoyed the read .
👍🇺🇸👍
 
Bob
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog !

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2021, 07:38:27 PM »
Daniel, great , great , family history . Really enjoyed the read .
👍🇺🇸👍
 
Bob

Thanks Bob it's rare to have this kind of information about a direct ancestor.
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2021, 07:49:05 PM »
What happened to the original rifle?

I have a copy of the estate sale of the property of Heth Hart at the time of his death. Most of the items listed aren't that interesting but the gun is listed as part of the sale. The rifle was bought by Joel Hart one of Heth's sons. We'll never know for sure but this implies it was something of value wanted by other family members and Joel had to buy it rather than have it given to him. Joel died in 1866 and we have no further history of what happened to this rifle but it might still exist somewhere?
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Online BOB HILL

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #20 on: October 03, 2021, 03:57:56 PM »
Beautiful rifle by as fine a gentleman as you’ll meet.
Bob
South Carolina Lowcountry

Offline MuskratMike

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2021, 08:08:16 PM »
Love anything Don makes. I have talked him out of his "semi-retirement" to make me a Soddy-Daisy rifle. I will post pictures of it as they come to me.
"Muskrat" Mike McGuire
Keep your eyes on the skyline, your flint sharp and powder dry.

Offline Stoner creek

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2021, 09:07:48 PM »
Love anything Don makes. I have talked him out of his "semi-retirement" to make me a Soddy-Daisy rifle. I will post pictures of it as they come to me.
Hopefully you’ll keep for longer than 2 weeks…….
Stop Marxism in America

Online Daryl

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #23 on: October 04, 2021, 07:29:38 PM »
Here's a few pictures of the rifle that Don made for me and my fifth great-grandfather. I gave Don the specifications from a document about my fifth great-grandfather who was a Rev war veteran. Don and I enjoyed the build process very much. The rifle is 66 caliber and shoots a 1 oz ball. I added the sling and attachments also the thumb piece and the North Star bead inlays behind the cheek piece.
Rifle was made a couple of years ago but pictures are from today. I'm especially fond of the first one Sign, Gnome, and gun!
















Nice guns indeed, but watch those gnomes - they are little thieves.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Metalshaper

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Re: My Don Bruton .66 Caliber Rifle
« Reply #24 on: October 04, 2021, 11:31:40 PM »
I really like that rifle!! The Naugty Gnome cracks me up ;D

Respect Always
metalshaper/Jonathan