Welcome to "Hoot AL's" Rifleshop!!
Alan Neubauer - Journeyman
Traditionalist Gunbuilder
Greetings from Midwestern Plains of Iowa. In an effort to keep the Spirit of the Traditionalist Gunmaker alive, I build antique blackpowder rifles and pistols
The goal for this website is to serve as a guide for future gunbuilders who want to learn the craft. I only hope I can accomplish this goal. Check out the Project Photo Albums and click on the rifles. The whole rifle building process will unfold to show you how to do it yourself. Some these albums are like "How To Guides" to help other gunbuilders.
The vintage of the guns are from 1730 to 1830, and are representative of several different schools of earlier gunsmiths. For example there are a few Edward Marshall (Christain Springs / Morovian) Hunting Rifles I recently built. The Hunting Rifle has the most detailed steps taken. The Transitional Lancaster (fancy rifle) and the Tennessee rifle projects were other rifles showing the rifle building process from beginning to end, too.
Take a look around the Rifleshop to give you an idea what tools I have available. Most of the work is done by hand.
All guns crafted in the shop are in a traditionalist vein. I try to show the projects as they transitioned from a block of wood to the finished state. You'll see a variety of guns including a Southern Tennessee rifle and a free-styled target pistol I designed. One of the albums has a couple of movies.
I'll try to add some items to the Tips & Aids section to share some simple tools, thoughts and etc.
I been graced with the opportunity to visit Weston, MO on three occasions and attend the Bevel Brothers' "Over The Log Shoot" in the last couple years. I dedicated a page of photos on those unique shoots. We had our own Iowa Original Chunk Gun Shoot.
My mentor & Master Gunsmith is Steve "Bookie" Bookout. He has a website, too and you'd find it very interesting as well. Steve earned the CLA "Pioneer Award" for 2007. He has his own shop is called "Toad Hall Rifleshop". We've been friends since 1978, and he's responsible for getting me into this craft. Recently we wrote a book together on how to build "A Wooden Iowa Rifler" similar to those built over a hundred years ago. The purpose of the rifler bench is for putting rifling grooves into gun barrels. This is the same method used by the Appalachian rifle builders. See the Rifling Book link for more information.
In the last few years, I've taken on Apprentices who wanted to learn the craft. They have their own dedicated pages in this website.
Currently I'm A Member of: NMLRA, Contemporary Longrifle Association, The Buck Crik Muzzle Loaders, Boy Scouts of America, Berrien Springs Sportsman's Club and the GPAA.
Favorite Things To Do: Playing with my grandchildren, building guns in the shop, shooting black powder, prospecting , and fishing. (Notice I said prospecting. I've prospected for gold in Alaska, Australia, California, Indiana, Tennessee and Michigan.)
Again, Welcome To The Shop!
(Site Created 03/30/04)
(Note, you don't have to leave me an email address. However, if you leave an email address, I send you a mailing to alert you when the site is updated.)
Updates: 05/19/09 (click on the photos and they will enlarge)
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Current Projects" Finished making a
mule ear Susquehanna Rifle which
is region
north of Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties. (This is in the northern
tier of Pennsylvania and lower New York states along the Susquehanna River
area.) The
rifle was to be a duplicate of the 180 year old family heirloom rifle.
I put in an album of the original rifle with a ton of photos. Also, here is
a LINK to the progress on his new rifle. Stock
was modified to resemble
the roman-nose comb on the rifle.
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The rifle is now completed. Here is a page with both the original and my project laying side by side on my workbench. Original Rifle Vs. New Rifle
Note, my email address is a.neubauer@mchsi.com
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Well the new apprentice, Brian Murray, has been busy in the shop. The Isaac
Haines
rifle is done and he has started on a John Armstrong
rifle. Brian put in some more inlays on the cheek and wrist. Then
the stock was stained and oiled. The barrel browned and the other
metal parts. Engrave the patchbox. Added
a lot more photos of his work in this area.
Stock Preparation. Link If
you want to drop Brian an email, you can do so at: murraybd@msn.com
He'd appreciate hearing from you.
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Hot News!! Not only is Our 2nd Edition of the The Wooden Iowa Rifling Bench book just been completed and in print, with more advanced techniques, it is now featured in the new "Barrel Reaming & Rifling" American Pioneer Video DVD. See DVD By APV link. Now you can rifle a barrel in an hour. Also it was reviewed in Muzzleloader Magazine in the "Prime Possibles" section again. Books and DVDs are going fast and being shipped all over the world right now.
- Rearranged the Project Photo Albums page by placing all the photo albums with detailed breakdowns of the projects at the top of the page instead of forcing people to search and find them. Hopefully that will make it easier to locate "how-to" information for your projects.
If you like the site or have any questions, drop me a line by clicking on "Hoot" below.
(c) Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.