First published in 1985, this series provides a scholarly approach to understanding the technologies which have comprised the gunmaking trade since its inception.
Indiana Gunmakers and Their Muzzle-Loading Longrifles 1778-1900
The high-quality book is hardbound and 324 pages of heavy, 100# coated paper with a matte finish.
It contains biographies of nearly 1,000 gunmakers that worked within the boundaries of present-day Indiana between 1778 and 1900 as well as nearly 800 high resolution photographs of their muzzle-loading longrifles.
The book organizes the gunmakers alphabetically and also by county for easy reference. A section on gunmaker migration includes six color maps that depict county organization and state growth between 1817 and 1840. Statistical tables show what state and/or country the gunmakers were born.
It is printed in full color and authored by veteran student of the longrifle, Jeffrey J. Jaeger.
The Longrifle Makers of the Salem School By C. Michael Briggs and Blake Stevenson : Book Review
In this book, Briggs and Stevenson demonstrate how the relationship of the Moravians to longrifles did not end with Andreas Hoger. Wachovia became a center of the early gunsmithing trade with talented craftsmen like Andreas Betz, Valentine Beck, and Jacob Loesch. The Salem rifle became a “gold standard” for early southern rifles that influenced the style of the non-Moravian craftsmen.
Web Blasts | Muzzle Blasts January 2021
This is an excerpt of an article that appeared first in the January 2021 Issue of Muzzle Blasts Magazine. Join the NMLRA Today to receive this great publication.
Alan Garbers
Rugged Gear – The older I get the more I prefer to use a gun cart. The longer and larger the match is the more I use my cart. While home-made carts serve the purpose, they can also be heavy and bulky. Rugged Gear offers folding, light, heavy-duty gun carts that roll over rough ground like a breeze. They offer muzzle up or muzzle down in two to four gun models.
Autotrickler – Accuracy is based on consistency. I know some of you do cartridge competitive shooting so you will want to check out this fully automatic powder measure and trickler com-bined. Get the exact charge every time.
The High Road – If you enjoy shooting, any type of shooting, and facet of shooting, you will find value in the High Road forum. From hunting to hand guns, activism to blackpowder, you’ll find kindred spirits here.
Midway – Just about anything you need for shoot-ing, any type of shooting, is at Midway. Need tools or gun parts? Midway has a massive selec-tion. And Midway fully supports our right to bear arms. Not all suppliers do that.
US History Images – This website is a collection of free-use images from the time of the Vikings in North America to the US Civil War. There are thousands of images.
Reproduction Fabrics – Nothing stands out more than the wrong color or design on clothing during a re-enactment. It’s like seeing a wrist-watch or modern glasses during a mock battle. Get the right, historically accurate fabric here. They narrow it down by time period.
Williamsburg Shops – As long as you’re shopping, be sure to check the range of products here; toys to jewelry, clothing to cooking. They also have furniture and chocolate candy. If you lone mag-nolias, they have many related items.
marthastewart.com/8001086/how-thread-sewing-machine
How To Sew Leather By Hand – Ignore what the address says, the top of this page covers hand sewing leather! “Have you ever wondered how to create or repair leather items without using an in-dustrial sewing machine? Here, I'll show you how to make beautiful leather pieces using a manual saddle stitch technique.”
artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-sew-leather-and-other-tough-materials/
How To Sew Leather – This guy also shows you how to sew leather, but he uses items commonly found around the house. While his results are not as professional as the previous website, it does get the job done without spending a hundred dollars or more on tools.
artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-make-a-da-kota-fire-hole/
How To Make A Dakota Fire – Most of us build cooking fires wrong. The US Army used to build massive cooking trench kitchen using the same technique shown here. I question that any Dako-tas used this method but I wouldn’t be surprised if the troops chasing them did.
Have something to share? If you find an interesting website related to muzzleloading or muzzleloading accoutrements, send me a message at alanjamesgarbers@yahoo.com and I’ll check it out.
Installing, Orienting, and Knapping the flint in your flintlock with Blackpowder TV
The Creedmor Era | Research Press
Want to learn more about the Creedmoor Era? Research Press has an entire webpage dedicated to it including information on the military rifle matches, the rifles, and ammunition used, chronology, and history of the home range available here
A Visit with Chief Gray Lock and Other Abenaki Stories : Book Review by Eric Bye
This is a book like few others, from an author like few oth-ers. For many years Peskunck Larrabee has been a known author and illustrator in the Northeast and beyond. He is the illustrator for the “Junior Blasts” column in Muzzle Blasts magazine, and he has contributed stories and artwork to Muzzleloader, Black Powder Times, and other publications dealing with American history and Native cultures. Because of his dedication to Native ways he was accepted into the Abenaki-Sokuakiiak Nation of Missisquoi in a Sweat lodge ceremony some three decades ago. He has long been known and respected as an ambassador of Abenaki culture to modern inhabitants of the North-east.
How do you minimize the effects of wind on rifle, and wind on body when shooting?
Book Recomendations for preserving and brain tanning hides
Preserving the "Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology" Book Series
Unboxing a Jim Chambers Flintlock Kit with Blackpowder TV
Black Powder TV unboxes a muzzleloader kit from our friends at Jim Chambers Flintlocks LTD! Check out the video today
Flint Hammers, the Golden Mean and More.
This article appeared first in the November Issue of Muzzle Blasts Magazine in 1979. NMLRA Members can read this and every other article ever published. Sign up today
A map of the encampments on Coxheath and Warley Common in 1778. American War of Independence (1775-83).
18th Century Bucksin Breeches Advertisement
This original advertisement was shared by Ron Malmgren in the “Just Frontier Trash 1750-1790” Facebook Group.
The Ad describes a pair of breeches made by Samual Penistone, in New Bird, Oxford, near Grovenor (Perhaps an early typo?) Square.
It states,
“It cannot be denied that LEATHER BREECHES (Especially Doe-Skin), are of all others most genteel, lite, and proper for traveling, hunting, shooting &c, but that Gentlemen who like breeches to fit neat and eafy, can seldom meet with this advantage in them, is too evident of late from their wearing a very inferior kind for these uses inconsistent. It is therefore for utility only, that I thus publicly declare myself perfectly qualified to serve Gentlemen ever to delicate or particular, every way so completely, that cannot fail of premoting the wear of leather breeches universial; as a proof of my abilities, any Gentleman may make a trial of a pair, and if in quality or workmanship can be excelled, or in fitting, do not equal silk stocking for safe and pleasure in wearing, they may be returned.
Un paralelled method is adopted by which gentlemen may keep their breeches clean without being leaft incommoded.
N.B. Leather perfectly white, black, beaver and cloth clours of the fiest qualities.
The best fair-stitch hands are wanted; but no other need apply, as the best prices are given. ”