Harpers Ferry Gun Smith.

[Rebforever]

Anyone know of a Gunsmith that favors the Harper Ferry rifle and have the parts or knows someone that does to bring the rifle back to original?

Thanks.

 

[captaindrew]

I'd try Lodgewood http://www.lodgewood.com/ or John Zimmerman at http://harpersferrycivilwarguns.com/

 

[johan_steele]

Lodgewood would be my first suggestion. David Stavlo has the knowledge & parts to do the work.

Zimmerman has the skill set but I don't know about his parts supply.

Mike Haek would have been ideal but he passed a year or two ago.

Good luck.

 

[Rebforever]

I'd try Lodgewood http://www.lodgewood.com/ or John Zimmerman at http://harpersferrycivilwarguns.com/

Wow. That was quick. Much obliged.

 

[Rebforever]

Lodgewood would be my first suggestion. David Stavlo has the knowledge & parts to do the work.

Zimmerman has the skill set but I don't know about his parts supply.

Mike Haek would have been ideal but he passed a year or two ago.

Good luck.

Thanks for the heads up, johan.

 

[gary]

If it's an original, I'd recommend Jack Brooks. By training he is a chemist but his profession is gun building. He teaches at TSJC (summer school) and for the NMLRA at Bowling Green, KY.

 

[Rebforever]

If it's an original, I'd recommend Jack Brooks. By training he is a chemist but his profession is gun building. He teaches at TSJC (summer school) and for the NMLRA at Bowling Green, KY.

Have a Number for him, website?

 

[gary]

https://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/

I took several of Jack's classes including lock conversion (changing a regular lock to an 1830 English roller frizzen lock), trade gun, relief carving & silver wire inlay (took relief carving from other people but everyone shows you something different).

 

[Rebforever]

https://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/

I took several of Jack's classes including lock conversion (changing a regular lock to an 1830 English roller frizzen lock), trade gun, relief carving & silver wire inlay (took relief carving from other people but everyone shows you something different).

WOW! Thanks Gary. I would like to see some of your carvings. We had a fellow close by that just past away that did beautiful work
here in the Valley.

 

[gary]

Here is the stock.

Here's an overall shot. Trigger guard was hand made. Buttplate is a modified 1803 Harper Ferry rifle trigger guard. Barrel has been blued now. Hand made Brass patchbox was the first one made in decades at Trinidad State. I learned to make patchboxes first from Gary Brumfield (2nd Master Gunsmith of Colonial Williamsburg) and from Jim Klein (who showed me an easier way - but I had to be at TSJC to make the jig). No sights (been looking for a ladder type sight).

Unfortunately the barrel company is no longer in business. We used to be able to buy barrel blanks for $75. I put the octagon flats on it on a milling machine and turned the rest of it round. One classmate made his look like a Win 73 and a third class made put a 2" ivory nose on her 10/22 along with an ivory grip cap that she scrimshandled a leaping dolphin. She now works in the marketing dept. of the En Are A.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

Which Harper's Ferry Rifle, the M-1803 or the M-1855?
J.

 

[Package4]

Lodgewood would be my first suggestion. David Stavlo has the knowledge & parts to do the work.

Zimmerman has the skill set but I don't know about his parts supply.

Mike Haek would have been ideal but he passed a year or two ago.

Good luck.

John Z has all of the original gunsmithing tooling, from his ancestor, (who worked at HF) but I would be a little wary now and I'll leave it at that...…..

 

[gary]

Love to see John Z's tools.

My friend got some tools that we haven't figured out what they're for. He showed them to G. Suiter, now retired but formerly the Master Gunsmith of Colonial Williamsburg (third one) and George couldn't figure it out either.

These things must be cataloged.