Gun #19 Augusta/Rockbridge Virginia Longrifle

An Early Virginia Longrifle This is a 1785 Augusta/Rockbridge County, Virginia style longrifle based on the earlier of the two rifles documented by Wallace Gusler in the Journal of Historical Arms Making Technology, Volume II (JHAT II). The patchbox and its engraving is an original design extrapolated from the box on the early gun documented […]

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Artisan Book Series – Mark Elliott

I have been honored by the publication of a book about my life and work by the Contemporary Longrifle Association.  This book includes a longer  biography than I have included on this website and  high quality glossy color photos of my best work.   If you are a collector of my work, you will want to […]

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Handmade Colonial English Flintlock

Handmade Tumbler Trouble In conjunction with some recent repair/restoration work, I have started working on an all handmade flintlock. That means one made of wrought iron in the same manner as an 18th century Virginia gun shop including making all the screws. I have completed a set of templates for the lock and have forged […]

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Gun #12 – An Iron Mounted Virginia Chunk Gun

An Unusual Iron Mounted Rifle The longrifle shown here is an iron mounted chunk gun with stylistic elements found on guns from the Augusta/Rockbridge area of Virginia down into southwest Virginia. This rifle includes a four-piece iron patchbox and a faceted trigger guard and thimbles similar to a couple of rifles from Wallace Gusler’s step-toe […]

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John Davidson Rifle

AH Davison - Patchbox

  Shown here is a previously unpublished John Davidson longrifle. It was made for a farmer in Rockbridge county Virginia and is still in the family. While the rifle is the victim of a very poor restoration job many years ago, there is still considerable artistic merit to the gun. The longrifle is mostly intact. […]

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What is an American Longrifle?

“From a flat bar of soft iron, hand forged into a gun barrel; laboriously bored and rifled with crude tools; fitted with a stock hewn from a maple tree in the neighboring forest; and supplied with a lock hammered to shape on the anvil; an unknown smith, in a shop long since silent, fashioned a […]

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Tin Powder Measure Set

This is a powder measure set that I created for Bag #12. It consists of a tin-plated steel powder measure, pan brush and vent pick.  The pan brush is horse hair with a tin ferrule and the vent pick is made of music wire.   Three flats are ground on the end of the vent pick […]

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Care & Use of a Muzzleloading Firearm

This document is not intended to provide detailed instruction in the loading and shooting of a traditional muzzle loading weapon or substitute for personal shooting instruction by an experienced muzzle loading shooter.   It is assumed that the novice muzzle loading shooter will seek proper instruction before using their new custom firearm. Shooting Never use anything […]

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So, You Want to Build Longrifles

So, you want to build longrifles. The most important thing you can do before you waste your time and money is STUDY. The following books and videos are highly recommended to form the foundation of your longrifle library: Rifles of Colonial America, Vols l & ll by George Shumway Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in […]

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Simon Lauck Buck & Ball Gun

  Shown here is a an original signed Simon Lauck fowler.   The distinctive signature S_____ Lauck is shown in the last photo. I had originally believed that this gun was mostly a restoration.   However,  after a careful and detailed examination of the disassembled gun under expert guidance, I have come to believe that this gun […]

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