The Gunsmith of Williamsburg - 1 hour

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=PJVz3T61trI&feature=endscreen

If you have an hour to spare (this is a 58 minute film), this is one of the best videos I've ever seen on hand crafting a traditional 1800's muzzle-loading rifle.  Wallace Gusler is the master gunsmith doing the majority of the work and he is one of very few people that have the knowledge and ability to hand forge and hammer weld a barrel blank from scratch.  It was a lost art which he eventually figured out by trial and error.  The film was made in 1968 and Mr. Gusler worked at an American historic site for many years and was their gunsmith and eventually the curator of at least two different museum collections at this historic site.  Truly some amazing craftsmanship since he had to be a talented gunsmith, blacksmith, foundryman, machinist, woodworker, carver and engraver.

[Blair]

Sir Charles,

It is indeed a great documentary film.

I worked at the CW Gun Shop for one very short winter in 1986/7. I was sent form the Black Smith Shop because of my previous gunsmithing skills and backgroung.
While at the Gun Shop I restored a VA. Manufactory Rifle that had been converted to percussion, back to its original flint configuration.
Great experience and a ton of fun for me.
  Blair

[Mossyrock]

I wore out a VHS tape of that film, and currently have it on DVD.  Good to know it is out there in case my DVD goes South on me!   

[Coffinmaker]

Went to Williamsburg for the first time this past summer.  Spent an hour and a half in the cabinet shop, then when we got to the gunsmith shop, my darling bride snatched up the Visa card and said she'd come back to get me.  Been cheaper to just commission a rifle

Coffinmaker