O.T. Gunsmith of Colonial Williamsburg Video - Fantastic!

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Many, many years ago, when I was a freshman or sophomore in college, I saw a movie about the gunsmith in Colonial Williamsburg. This was long, long before videos, one of the history professors got ahold of the film and showed it in his class. I remember being spellbound by the skill of the gunsmith as he created a beautiful flintlock rifle from nothing more than bars of iron (not steel, iron), chunks of brass, and a walnut plank. He made the entire rifle, lock, stock, and barrel, with nothing more than hand tools and a forge.

I have always wanted to see the movie again, but had no idea if it even existed anymore. Well folks, I just finished watching it. It is the exact same film I saw over 40 years ago. And it is even better than I remembered.

I found it at Amazon, the title is The Gunsmith of Williamsburg, and it only cost me $19.95. If you are at all interested in how Colonial gunsmiths made flintlock rifles in the days before mass production, I cannot recommend this video highly enough. It is breath taking to watch the gunsmith weld up the barrel and rifle it. His skill at hammering out the parts to the lock from red hot iron is nothing short of amazing.

Not exactly cowboy, but if you are at all interested in the history of firearms, I cannot recommend this video highly enough.

P.S. I thought the narrator sounded familiar, but I just could not place his voice. The credits showed it was David Brinkley. Remember him?

[Mossyrock]

I bought the VHS tape at Colonial Williamsburg many years ago and wore it out.  Last year I bought the DVD from Amazon.  Wallace Gussler is still alive and building rifles.  In fact, he's a good friend of one of the guys I shoot flintlock competition with.  I hope I get a chance to meet him.

[Driftwood Johnson]

I looked him up on the web and it appears he retired from Williamsburg a few years ago. Really weird to see him in 1969 and again today in such a short time span.

[Nevada Mark]

Driftwood,
You're right, that is a great video. I have seen it and it helped me build a flintlock rifle, which turned out very good. I have the luxury of living about 30 minutes from the Williamsburg area and have been to the shop quite a few times and talked to some of the gunsmiths as they are doing the work. The shop is still there and to see them build the rifle right in front of you is a real treat. The workmanship is some of the best I have seen.
Nevada Mark

[Mossyrock]

I've been to Williamsburg on three different occasions, and I don't mind saying that the MAJORITY of my time was spent in the gunsmith shop, with the balance being split between the blacksmith and the cooperage.  I would DEARLY love to live there, work in one of those shops, and be a presenter.