This article first appeared in Muzzle Blasts Magazine in June, 2004 NMLRA Members get access to digital scans of all the Muzzle Blasts Magazines since 1938. Join Today

By Paul Bigham

Photography by Lon Brauer

“A recent addition to the Hershel House Tradition”

I first met Chuck Edwards in October of 2001 at a rendez­vous in bis hometown of Bloomfield, Missouri. I recognized him from a photograph in an article written by Ted Franklin Belue entitled "Chuck Edwards: Steeped in the Woodbury Tra­dition." As a gun builder myself I have been a longtime ad­mirer of Hershel House (ever since the Foxfire 5 article), and more recently of Chuck Edwards.

I took the opportunity to introduce myself and Chuck gra­ciously agreed to my request that he examine a rifle I had built. After Chuck had favorably c1itiqued my rifle he invited me and a friend, Grant Metzler, to his shop. (Grant is the proud owner of the gun featured on the cover and in this article). We had a difficult time leaving that evening. Chuck had opened our eyes to a new world of gun building.

Upon getting to know Chuck, it's clear that he is a dedi­cated, hard worker and has the volunteer spirit of our forefa­thers. He is an Assistant Fire Chief and first responder with Stoddard County. Chuck says, "Being called out helps to break the monotony of working long hours in the gun shop and it gets the adrenaline flowing."

Chuck has also assisted Hershel House in his seminars and built guns for local rendezvous and the Colonial Trade Fair that the Chasseurs du Datcburat put on each year at Fort de Chartres in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois. He is also working with the Village Restorations and Consulting, Inc. on the Lewis and Clark Commemorative Rifle Set.

When someone has such a giving spirit such as Chuck it is great to see his dream come true. For Chuck, the culmination of that dream was in becoming good friends with Hershel House and then learning the finer points of building authentic south­ern rifles in the Hershel House School. Chuck says, "It's a privilege I had only dreamed of!"

The result of their association is an early Virginia rifle that these two have built together and co-signed.

Hershel claims, "Most early Southern Rifles of this type were destroyed when marshal law was put into effect after the Civil War. Some were found bidden in hollow logs." On the House-Edwards gun, Hershel designed the unusual patch box that is hingeless and opens backwards. He combined elements from two original rifles found in Indian graves in Georgia. He also band forged the side plate and trigger guard. After inletting the patch box he engraved it. He reworked the triggers, shaped the stock from the lock panels to the butt, and designed the carving.

Chuck inlet the barrel, drilled the ramrod hole, and modi­fied, tuned, and inlet the lock. After hand forging the butt­plate and sights, he engraved, carved, and finished the rifle.

When J asked Hershel if he refers work to Chuck, he an­swered with a resounding, "YES! Chuck builds a good au­thentic southern rifle in the Hershel House School tradition." 

Someone once asked him if it upset him that guns were being built in this style, and he answered, "No, I believe it's a compli­ment and it tickles the#!@* out of me."

Chuck says of building and co-signing with Hershel, "It was like a weight being lifted, like Hershel saying you 're there!"

Sidebar Notes: :

Hershel House has been building guns full time since August of 1967. Today he and his brother John teach at many gun building and knife mak­ing seminars, along with their cousin Willie, who is an accomplished knife maker. One of Hershel's favorite pas­times is restoring antique Ford cars, trucks, and single-cylinder engines.

Chuck Edwards has been building guns full time since September of 2001. To date he has built a total of 46 guns, completing 25 of them in the last year alone. Many of the guns he makes are a unique straight rifle, which facilitates in­creased accuracy with round ball or shot. As an avid historical trekker, Chuck believes in keeping his prices witl1in reach of the "working man" so that more can have access to handmade, historically accurate firearms. Fellow trekking partners seek out his rifles for their versatility.

Both Chuck and Hershel are mem­bers of the Contemporary Longrifle Association. www.longrifle.ws

Chuck’s Website can be found at longrifles.homestead.com