Group photo taken at picnic and shoot held at Dr. Leeper's farm on Cumberland Trace. The shooting is done and the eating is about to begin.

Jack Brooks has been a full-time gun maker since 1976, dividing his time between new custom work and the restoration of antique American longrifles. A resident of Englewood, CO, this will be Jack’s thirteenth year as an instructor at the seminar where he has taught a variety of gun stocking classes from long rifles to pistols and trade guns.
Stocking a Rifle in the Style of Beyer — (9-day class)
New for 2005— Jack will lead the students through stocking up a flintlock rifle in the style of a relief carved rifle by Nicholas Beyer in his early years. The example Jack has chosen is similar to the one shown in plate 91 (on page 35) of Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age. Since only the butt stock of Jack’s example survives, student will incorporate details from other related antique rifles. Students will also decide whether they want to learn to hand inlet the barrel or start with a blank where the barrel is pre-inlet and the ramrod hole drilled. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $500.

Gary Brumfield started in the Colonial Williamsburg Gunsmith shop as a summer helper in 1965 and was master gunsmith for Foundation from 1974 to 1990. He continues at the foundation in a management position and works part time as a rifle maker in his home shop. He has been either an instructor or the seminar coordinator since 1983.
Making Sheet Brass Mounts — (6-day class)
Introduction to forging and shaping patchboxes, thimbles, nose caps, and the techniques for filing and finishing mounts. This class is for the builder who is interested in having more control of the style and quality of his work by making, instead of purchasing, the sheet brass parts of the rifle. After the class most attendees will have made a set of sheet brass mounts for the next rifle they build. Casting of a trigger guard and buttplate will be demonstrated. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $30

Jim Chambers, Jr. has been involved with custom arms for forty years and has become a very important contributor to the trade by supplying a variety of high quality locks. A resident of Candler, NC, Jim has taught at the seminar for four years in either carving or lock assembly.
Modifying and Tuning the Flintlock— (6-day class)
Students in this class will start with one of his "Generic" lock kits, the one with the square plate, and go completely through the assembly process, then move on the fine tuning both the form and function of the lock. A lot of the quality can be built in during the basic assembly process if the correct drills, reamers, etc. are used. Some students may also want to modify the lock to be more appropriate for a particular gun they plan to build. The materials fee will cover both the lock parts and a proper set of drills, taps and reamers. Class limited to eight.
Material fee: Approximately $90.

Fred Dimke & Bob Elka will combine their life-long experience in metal and wood working to teach a special mini-course during the first three evening of the seminar.
Proper Use of Hand Tools — (3 two-hour evening sessions)
New for 2005—Fred and Bob have attended this seminar for over a decade and have often commented on the need for some basis instruction in the selection, maintenance and use of hand tools. In three two-hour sessions, scheduled from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. June 1-3, they will show students how make the best of the tools the students have brought and also allow them to experience working with properly sharpened, quality tools from the instructors’ toolboxes. Having the right tools and using them properly will make every aspect of gunsmithing easier and every hour at the bench more productive. Class is limited to twelve.

Ron Ehlert has been a full-time gun maker for more than twenty years. Early in his career he attended this seminar as student in an engraving class taught by the late Lynton McKenzie. Ron has taught at the seminar for nine years and for 2005 he is offering a class that will touch on many subjects.
Advanced Firearms Decoration — (9-day class)
New for 2005—Ron plans to teach the students in this class how to do a variety of special artistic details often found on German Jaegers. Class projects will range from an ivory and ebony hunter star for a cheek piece and a wood patchbox lid overlaid with brass to a silver signature plate for the barrel and a horn nose cap. Jaeger style relief carving on a practice stock will also be included. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $120

Wallace Gusler produced his first muzzleloader at age fourteen. He established the Colonial Williamsburg gunsmith shop in 1963 and was master until 1972. Retired from the gun shop, Wallace is currently completing a book on Virginia gunsmiths and building rifles part-time. He has taught at this seminar many times since helping start it in 1981.
Learning How to Look — (3-day class)
Focusing primarily on early rifles, this class will introduce students to the process of studying longrifles for the purpose of dating them and attributing them to a particular “school” or regional style. Both construction and artist elements will be discussed. It will also give students an overview of the design elements in 18th century longrifle art and provide them the opportunity to learn how to draw carving and engraving designs for their own work. Students will need to bring a sketchbook and drawing implements. Gary Brumfield will be helping Wallace teach this class. Class limited to 16.
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Relief Carving — (6-day class)
Learn to carve by working on a machine shaped longrifle butt stock that will go home with you as study piece and reference. (Because the students will be experimenting with various tools and methods they will not work on a real gun.) Pick any style of carving. Topics covered will include selecting and sharpening tools, various methods of backgrounding and sculpting, etc. Although beginners are welcome, this class in traditional carving techniques best serves those who have some experience. Class limited to eight.
Material fee: Approximately $100.

Hershel House has been a full-time gun maker since 1967 and he has been the pioneer in reviving interest in iron-mounted rifles. A resident of nearby ¬¬¬Morgantown, Hershel has taught at the seminar many times since he helped begin it in 1981. The continued popularity of this class has lead to the use of a lottery system for admission. See the registration information for details.
Forging Iron Gun Mounts and Stocking the Southern Mountain Rifle — Hershel & John House (9-day class)
This hands-on class will begin on Wednesday at Hershel’s shop (10 miles from Bowling Green) where several forges will be set up. Forge and file the correct butt plate, trigger guard, etc. for the style of southern mountain rifle you will build. Blacksmithing experience is not required. The mount-making portion of the class will end about mid-day on Saturday.
On Sunday morning the class will resume at W.K.U. where students will begin stocking the rifle. Variations include: Appalachian, East Tenn., North Carolina, Southwestern Virginia, and early Virginia styles — flint or percussion, straight or swamped barrel, stock of maple or walnut. With the desire to send the student home with as close to a complete rifle as possible, Hershel and John teach their efficient workman like methods to show how to attain a quality product with a minimum of tools. Barrel will be pre-inlet and the ramrod hole drilled. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $500.

Mark Silver started as a hobbyist in 1972, became a full-time gunmaker in 1976, and trained with John Bivins in 1978-9. Mark is a resident of Chassell, MI and has taught at this seminar since 1983 on subjects ranging from engraving and carving to lock assembly.
Traditional Stock Finishing and Preparation — (3-day class)
Using 18th century woodworking techniques for final shaping and preparation, learn to achieve the coveted warmth and aesthetics of true authenticity. Experiment on practice pieces of maple, American, and English walnut preparing planing, scraping, staining, and finishing with both traditional and modern formulas. Participants may choose to use a practice stock from a previous class or finish an actual stock of their own. Bear in mind that it is often best to gain experience with a variety of materials and then move on to your new rifle.
Participants taking this three-day course may drop in throughout the remainder of the seminar to add finish and complete their project. This will alleviate the problem of delays from the drying time of succeeding coats of finish. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $25.
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Beginning and Intermediate Engraving — (6-day class)
This course is meant for the student with little or no engraving experience who wants to improve their understanding of and ability to execute, the styles of engraving used on American longrifles and fowlers. It is also for those who have already had at least one course in engraving and wish to work with British or continental styles.
The class will explore the elements used on patchboxes, side plates and mounts, including types of borders, scrolls, volutes, and leafage. Most of the class time will be spent in intensive practice repeating the basic elements of these types of engraving. Intermediate students will be introduced to and practice lettering of various styles, and the engraving forms found on sporting arms from Britain and Europe, including, if they wish, relief chiseling of sculpted foliage and borders. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $20

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