Author Archives: Larry Pletcher

CLA Auction 2013 Trade Silver Wrist Band by Wayne & Marilyn Holcombe

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 “A Knife Fit for an Alligator-Horse” by Joe Seabolt

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today         By T.C. Albert During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 A Hunter’s Shot Pouch Set from a Frontier on the Eve of War by Cal Tanner and Jim Hays

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Jerry Eitnier Knife & Sheath

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today      By Heinz Ahlers During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Nathan Boone Pouch & Horn Set by Tim Sanner & Jim Webb

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Trade Silver Shell Gorget by Wayne & Marilyn Holcombe

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 A Choctaw Style Bow, Quiver, and Arrows Set by Matt & Paul Fennewald

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 A Fine Lexington Style Rifle by Marvin Kemper

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today    Written Guy Montfort During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Isaac Shelby Commemorative Knife by Glen Mock

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Plug Bayonet by Todd Daggett

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today     Written by Heinz Ahlers During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone ... Read More »

CLA Auction 1013 A Woodland Native Prisoner Tie by Darrell Brandenburg with Quillwork by Tom Gifford

During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real treat. Not only will you be getting an advance preview of the 2013 fund ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 The John Jacob Sheetz Rifle Project by Darrin McDonal & Jim Parker

During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real treat. Not only will you be getting an advance preview of the 2013 fund ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 WIKI UP ~ An original pastel painting by Pamela Patrick White

During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real treat. Not only will you be getting an advance preview of the 2013 fund ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Tansel Style Powder Horn by Jeff Bottiger

During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real treat. Not only will you be getting an advance preview of the 2013 fund ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 Brian Anderson’s Squire Boone Pipe Ax

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 – Chippewa Birchbark Canoe Model by Ray Boessel

For more information about the auction or CLA:   Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a ... Read More »

CLA Auction 2013 A Circa 1810~1825 Pouch and Horn Set by Donald Shaver

For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association Join the CLA Today During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky. Everyone is in for a real ... Read More »

Flintlock Lube Test

In choosing to do this experiment, I will look only at how the lubes affect lock speeds. Others have examined a lubes resistance to rust formation. Many lubes have been suggested. I will try to choose those that are widely used or represent a group of lubricants. The text here is in progress. It’s kind of like diary entries showing all the problems associated with a test of this kind. I’ll straighten ... Read More »

A Study in Lock Timing

Flintlock photo from JHAT article

I’d like to thank Gary Brumfield for his encouragement and advice during the data collecting and writing of this article. The Siler below is the lock used in the ’80s for the JHAT article. It has been fired probably thousands of times, but never was mounted on a gun. The article below listed all the modifications that were done when the lock was made. It has served as a test bed for ... Read More »

Martin’s Station Rifle Project

Martin;s Station Rifle Project

Martin’s Station is thought of as a great place to view and become involved in living history. Their calendar is filled with living history activities for the observer as well as the re-enactor. In the midst of these experiences is a great new project. The Martin’s Station Rifle Project is the brainchild of Billy Heck. Billy’s idea was to build a Virginia rifle that would be raffled off as a fundraiser to benefit the ... Read More »

NMLRA 1 of 1000 Endowment

Painting by David Wright

The NMLRA’s “1 of 1000 Endowment Program” was the brain child of former president Merrill Deer. He hoped to find 1000 members who would each contribute $1000, to support the NMLRA. The funds go into a restricted endowment fund. David Wright’s painting, “The Spirit of America” will be used to support the program in a variety of ways. David Wright’s talent is widely known, especially to those of us with a passion ... Read More »

Conner Prairie Workshop

Conner Prairie seems to get better each year. Classes range from evening classe to full 5 day classes. Five day classes include engraving, kit assembly, stock carving. Two and one half day classes include leather pouches, two horn classes, two knife making classes, quill work, and traditional barrel making. Additional classes are offered on weekends. The list of instructors is impressive. Below I will try to give you an idea of what ... Read More »

Friendship 2011 Spring Shoot

A foggy morning at the Spring Shoot in Friendship

Ever see a shooting line a quarter mile long? Ever seen a muzzleloading slug gun that weighed over 100 lbs? Ever watched a barrel being rifled by hand? Ever seen a shooter bust doubles with a double flint fowler? You can for 10 days each spring and fall in southern Indiana. Come join us!  Editor: Larry Pletcher The Spring Shoot at Friendship is over, and as usual the trip was a treat. ... Read More »

Friendship 2011 Gallery One

First light at Friendship

Gallery One contains photos of the grounds, although many of these will overlap topics. Editor: Larry Pletcher The physical grounds change from time to time. The entrance to Primitive is recent, but the Education Building had its Grand Opening this spring. This project was completed completely with donations. The building has a kitchen, a large room for meetings or banquets, and a number of small meeting rooms.   Friendship 2011 Spring Shoot ... Read More »

Friendship 2011 Gallery Two

Shooting positions on the round ball bench rahge

Shooting Positions Let’s take a look at shooting competition at Friendship. Included in the main shooting line are Pistol, Offhand, Cross Sticks, Bench rest, Silhouettes, LongRange, Slug Guns, and Chunk Guns. Next to the Pistol Line is the Trap Range. A short walk up the dry creek bed is Skeet and the Quail Walk. Muzzleloaders of every description are shot here based on the type and the sights used.   Return to ... Read More »

Friendship 2011 Gallery Three

At the Primitive Range

Primitive Range The Primitive Range is our next stop. While there are many matches for primitive guns on the regular range, the primitive range is for primitive muzzleloaders exclusively. Here you will see shooters in costume firing flintlock rifles and fowling pieces – just to name a few. You might even see a rare breech-loading Ferguson rifle here. Again there are many matches. The Mountain Man Aggregate includes flint/steel fire starting , ... Read More »

Friendship 2011 Gallery Four

Jim and Mike problem solving

Commercial Row, Gun Makers Hall Next we’ll check out Commercial Row and Gun Makers Hall. If you need a hawk or knife, parts for a new gun, or about any other muzzleloading accessory, you can probably find it shopping these booths. If you need a barrel, Rice barrels are here. Chambers, Davis, and L&R locks are here. Wayne Dunlop has amazing wood. Gun Makers Hall is an amazing place. Some of the ... Read More »

Filled Vent Test – Is it Slower?

Test fixture with pistol ready for trial

Filling a flintlock touch hole with priming powder causes a slower ignition. The pan fire has to burn through instead of flash through the vent. Is this “fuse effect” true? Can the difference be measured? Are the “hang fires” experienced by black powder shooters caused by something else? Reporting the answers to these questions is the purpose in this article. The purpose of this test was to see if there was a ... Read More »

Bedford Co. — John Stoudenour

—pretty neat original Bedford County gun— photographs by Larry Pletcher An original Bedford Co. rifle recently surfaced in northern Indiana. The name plate on the barrel identifies it as John Stoudenour. The Stoudenour family included John Sr.and his sons, Jacob and John Jr. This gun is likely to have been made by John Jr. Some of these photos were shown on the American Longrifles forum. When these were posted on ALR, they ... Read More »

Art DeCamp – Screw Tip Horns, Author

Lancaster Screw Tips

November 2010 – vol.6, Larry Pletcher, editor Art DeCamp is one of our premier horn makers. To say only this would be unfair. Art has spent much time and energy in the study of colonial horns. One only needs to spend a bit of time with him to realize what a resource he is to those of us interested in powder horns. I have had the pleasure of attending two of Art’s ... Read More »