my little squirrel rifle

[George]

I'm more than a little pleased to hear that you are using that fine rifle for what it was intended for.

I work very hard to keep my guns from getting dinged when hunting, but I find that hunting with a special gun adds pleasure to the hunt, so I shoot them. That's especially true if it's a modern-made replica like this little flintlock, but I feel the same about original guns. I believe you were in a conversation about an early 19th-century smooth rifle I just had on another board. I don't use that gun as my everyday shooter, but I have taken a deer with it, a couple of groundhogs and several squirrels. It definitely gave me an added thrill to use that old gun which was loaded with history as well as black powder. I'm fascinated with what hunting and shooting was like for the old boys, and I don't know of a better way to find out.

Spence

 

[JV Puleo]

Is it possible it was Lester Smith? He was a friend and colleague of Hacker Martin's. A friend of mine, now dead, had one of his rifles with nearly the identical inlay work on the underside of the fore end and very similar engraving.

 

[dodgecity]

Wow...All I can say is "gorgeous". I could look at that rifle all day.

 

[MSW]

i agree with AncientOne, aside from that, this is one of the nicest looking rifles i've ever deen!

 

[gearheart]

I'll come squirrel hunting with you anytime. I'll even bake the biscuits. :grin: Beautiful rifle.

 

[George]

Is it possible it was Lester Smith? He was a friend and colleague of Hacker Martin's. A friend of mine, now dead, had one of his rifles with nearly the identical inlay work on the underside of the fore end and very similar engraving.

The gun is marked Louis Smith on the top flat. Any chance your Lester was Louis, because Louis Smith lived in Johnson City, TN, and Hacker Martin lived in a small community right outside Johnson City named Gray. They were contemporaries, no doubt they knew each other. That gets me all excited, because I was told that Louis Smith built the rifle but a close friend and collaborator of his did the inlay and engraving work. It hadn't dawned on me until now that it might have been Martin. I'm not familiar with his work except from pictures. I was introduced to Louis Smith at the national NMLRA shoot at Friendship, IN, but didn't get a chance to discuss the rifle. Hecky durn!

Spence

 

[Stumpkiller]

"WOW!" for sure. That is one fabulous rifle. :hatsoff:

 

[Dausener]

Uuuhhhh.....Yeah....That's a nice rifle. :bow:

 

[JV Puleo]

If I remember correctly, it was Lester Smith who did the inlay and engraving work for Hacker Martin... since the name on the barrel is absolutely clear, I'd guess they were probably relatives and, as you say, they all knew each other. See if you can find a copy of Foxfire 5... it has a photo of Hacker and Lester, some of their correspondence, and pictures of a rifle very similar to yours and to the one my late friend owned.
I suspect Louis and Lester were related and that Lester did inlay and engraving for several gunmakers.

 

[George]

If I remember correctly, it was Lester Smith who did the inlay and engraving work for Hacker Martin... since the name on the barrel is absolutely clear, I'd guess they were probably relatives and, as you say, they all knew each other. See if you can find a copy of Foxfire 5... it has a photo of Hacker and Lester, some of their correspondence, and pictures of a rifle very similar to yours and to the one my late friend owned.
I suspect Louis and Lester were related and that Lester did inlay and engraving for several gunmakers.

I have Foxfire 5 and will do just that. May never be able to resolve the puzzle, but it seems possible those three were trading ideas, at least.

Spence

 

[Chilidog]

Very, very impressive. Truly a work of art and a labor of love. Thank you so much for sharing with us your rifle. :hatsoff:

 

[colmoultrie]

That is beautiful engraving and inlay work. The patina you've put on it from use certainly adds, in my opinion, to the look. Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

[Bob Riegl]

What a grand looking rifle that it is---It is a treasure to just behold. Now as to the pix of the squerl 'n gravy---you have opened up a new path. I haven't tasted that in too many years---time to clean out the old thutty-two put on a new flint and git out fer some squerl meat----m-m-m-m-m-m-m---I kin taste it already---Thanks for this thread it's a keeper. "Doc"

 

[rabjr]

A fine looking piece and example of how nice a gun looks when the brass is allowed to age. :thumbsup:

 

[George]

If I remember correctly, it was Lester Smith who did the inlay and engraving work for Hacker Martin...

I found and spoke with a man, Donald Davison, a long-time gun builder from Johnson City, TN, who knew all the people involved with my gun. He learned gun building and engraving from Lester Smith. He said Louis and Lester Smith were not related, but did work together. It is his opinion that at the time my gun was built it would been done by Louis Smith, then turned over to an expert in inlays, Buck Fleenor, for that part, then to Lester Smith for the engraving. Lester Smith died at a fairly young age somewhere around 1980, so he would have still been doing the engraving for Louis Smith at the time my rifle was made, sometime before 1975. He said Lester Smith's engraving was unique, and he was known for his excellent "wiggle" engraving. Here's a picture of it. Every edge of all the inlays is done in this fashion.

Spence

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Everything that has already been said...WOW!

 

[dbutch]

A working piece of art that Go's Boom! Great investment.Thanks for the pic's

 

[shmrck1]

Spence,
Absolutely beautiful! :hatsoff::thumbsup:
snake-eyes

 

[Eterry]

An absolutely gorgeous rifle with an intriguing story, its the history of such weapons that make them so dear; if they could only speak!

Thanks for posting the pics

Eterry

 

[John Tice]

Beautiful Rifle ! :hatsoff: