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.

English Sporting Rifle — Jim Chambers
(9-day class)
New for 2006—Students in this class will start with an English walnut stock blank that has had the swamped barrel inlet and the ramrod hole drilled. Following the design of a mid-eighteenth century rifle by William Turvey students will fit the butt piece, shape the stock, inlet the lock, sideplate, ramrod pipes, and guard. Basic gun making skills such as filing, rasping and inletting will be helpful in making maximum progress in this class. A finished rifle will be available for reference.
Materials fee: $700.

Engraving — Beginning and Intermediate — Mark Silver
(6-day class, $600 plus materials)
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

Forging 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 iron 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.

Learning How to Look — Wallace Gusler & Gary Brumfield
(3-day class)
Focusing primarily on flint period 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. About a dozen original rifles will be available for study in the class including five early ones pictured in Rifles of Colonial America by George Shumway (#42, 92, 103, 109, and 142). Construction and artist elements will be discussed along with how to detect repairs and alterations to old guns. Students will need a sketchbook and drawing implements. Class limited to 16.

Pipe Tomahawk — Jack Brooks
(9-day class)
Jack will make a pattern and have custom steel heads cast for a pipe tomahawk based on one plowed up on a farm along the Cumberland Trace just minutes from the seminar site in Bowling Green. Finishing the tomahawk will give students an opportunity to learn and practice many skills fundamental to rifle making such as filing, polishing, engraving, metal in metal inlay, wood scraping, inlay in wood, staining and finishing. Most students will, hopefully, leave the class with a finished tomahawk. Class limited to eight.
Materials fee: Approximately $90

Relief Carving —Gary Brumfield
(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 be allowed to work on an actual rifle.) 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 in wood working. Class limited to eight.
Material fee: Approximately $100.

Spur-Pommel Pistol—Ron Ehlert
(9-day class)
This class will work on stocking a long-barreled bulbous-butt pistol in the style of the early 18th century. The fourteen-inch octagon-to-round barrels will come from Ed Rayle and will be inlet into a European Walnut stock blank in class. The student can pick either a flat or convex face lock. The butt cap and trigger guard will be commercial castings. The other brass mounts and the trigger will be made in the class. An original German pistol will be on hand for reference but students can chose to do their pistol in the English style if they wish.
Material fee: $ 350

Wire and Sheet Metal Inlay for the Longrifle — Wallace Gusler DID NOT FILL
(6-day class)
Learn the techniques for designing, making, and installing cheek piece inlays, thumb pieces, and escutcheons. You will also learn to do the types of silver and brass wire inlay found on longrifles. Students may bring a “Quaker gun” practice stock from an earlier carving or patchbox class. (Do not expect to work on an actual rifle.) Class limited to eight.
Material fee: Approximately $20. An additional $95 if the student needs a pre-turned stock to work on.
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