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 Friends of Wilderness Road, a support group for the Park and Martin’s Station.

The actual work on the rifle began in May, 2010 when the barrel was hand forged. (The “Raid on Martin’s Station” was that same weekend. We hope the barrel makers were not inconvenienced by the attack.) Andy Thomas, Billy Heck, Ryan Teague, and Ron Eddy, from Martin’s Station, worked with Richard Sullivan (Colonial Williamsburg) on the hand forged barrel. Mike Miller built the hand forged lock as the project continued.

While most of the rifle work was done on site, the rifle makers had the rare treat of rifling the barrel at Colonial Williamsburg. While there, using CW’s tools and expert advise of CW’s journeymen, the reaming and rifling were done. This experience had to be a highlight of the project!

A few more steps and the rifle will be finished. The raffle will be in May of 2012. Tickets are available. Hopefully the photos here and the many on Martin’s Station Rifle Project web page will draw those who would like to own such a fine piece.

As a side note, Billy Heck and Richard Sullivan will be at the Martin’s Station booth at CLA this August. Mike Miller will have his own booth. Please stop in; I bet there will be raffle tickets available!

Websites:

http://www.historicmartinsstation.com/

Andy Thomas has additional photos at the link below:

Martin’s Station Rifle Project

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Martin’s Station Rifle Project Interview

We’re at the CLA Show in Lexington. Sitting around me are the fellows who made the rifle project possible: To my right is Andy Thomas. On around the circle is Carroll Ross, Richard Sullivan, Ron Eddy, Billy Heck, Ryan Teague, and Mike Miller. Each of these men played a part in the project. We’ll try to get each to join in the conversation.