This documentary was made in 1969, two years after I was born. Just 50 years ago television programs did not consider their viewers dumb. No hyped-up fast-paced narration. You can actually see every single operation. The combination of a narrator and a first person singular account works amazingly well. A treasure.
Yep, some even remember Walter Cronkite!! I also treasure the engineering videos from that period. They were a large part of my college prep and were ( are) extremely informative. Thanks for the share.
Very true:. Holland&Holland has a documentary ,with slight differences, has this same procedure. With the difference that there is a department for each process instead of 'one smith does all'. Great share thankyou!!
@Darrin Inverarity When you are sold the line that Robot can do the job of 10 men for 1/10th the cost with no quality lost you expect greater precision for 1/10th the cost. Its all a lie though, just another industrial revolution without luddites.
I spent three years building custom 1911 pistols on an assembly line. My hands were like raw hide when i left. I used modern mills, lathes and surface grinders. But I also used files every day. It really makes you appreciate the skill of a guy like this to do what he was doing. It's hard to explain but when you look at the same steel parts day in and out for years you can see a half thousands of an inch difference. My mentor there said that, that some of the guns he had from the late 1800s had much tighter tolerances on fine fitted parts than today's guns. And those dudes did not even have electricity. Lol great video.
The term “tolerance” is not the same as “precision”. If you are making a lot of parts and you want them to be completely interchangeable, then you define how big and how small they can be and still fit and function. That is tolerance. If you are making one thing by hand, you can make its parts fit very closely even if you don’t know their numerical size. That’s precise, and a wonderful fit, but because interchangeability is not important, tolerances are irrelevant.
i tell my non machinist friends i can see in thousandths of inches and they tell me i'm crazy when i can see the imperfections in a table's flatness and texture glad i'm not the only crazy
Really enjoyed this throughout the whole program. Wish they could do tv like this today. No flashy scripts. No fast cutting between 50 different camera angles. No host screaming "VERY DANGEROUS" every 15 seconds. Just focused on the art itself and the artisan. Thanks for sharing this gem. Cheers!
I find this style very relaxing, as opposed to tv that focuses on conflict, problems, and deadlines. Its presented as if something doesn't happen within a predetermined amount of time, the world will explode. This guy spent 300 hrs on this rifle, no rush, and the result is a timeless piece of art that will last centuries.
No mention of climate change. Documentaries today could be about pencils and would spend at least 10 minutes talking about climate change. Watchmaking, gotta talk about how climate change affects the watchmaking industry, and how watchmaking affects climate change. Sword making in Japan? Gotta talk about how it is related to climate change and spend ten minutes explaining climate change as though the viewer has never heard of climate change before this documentary.
The rifle built in front of our eyes is a treasure indeed. I have been to Williamsburg three times in my youth, and was always drawn to this foundry to watch the Gunsmith at work. He was different each time, and in the different time of construction on a musket or rifle. But I learned to appreciate the skills and patience needed to have a finished product. The last time I was at Williamsburg, I was 14, just three years short of my first .22 rifle. It was a real learning experience as I was able (with careful monitoring) to shape the stock somewhat. Real experience that I was able to take into my 20's and 30's as I specialized in restoring stocks on rifles that were burned or broken. "Furniture" stocks, handguards, and forends were called, and quite rightly so as it took many hours to restore or replace the burned wood from house fires and neglect. I really learned to appreciate the work that goes into gunsmithing (it doen't stop when sights are installed, many things you have to learn and apply to your calling). I am 67 now, a little slower but much more learned.
I was a friend of Mike Walker of Remington in the last 12-14 yrs of his life. He was retired but still working 3-6 hrs every day doing gunsmithing/reloading and benchrest shooting.. Mike's last rifle that he built before his death at 101 yrs old was a 260 ackly. I was able to help some on this rifle. He built it for me to deer hunt with. One of many over the years..... What a great man with lots of interesting stories from his work at Remington!! I still have some of his tools and rifles I bought that he used in benchrest competition.. This video was well made. Thanks for posting!! .
Mike Walker was a member of Polk County Gun Club in NC. He was working almost to his last days. The recoil would make him blind for a while after every shot, but it did not stop him from continuing his most favorite passion. He would just wait for his vision to clear, and fire another one.
Wow, that was one of the best documentaries I’ve ever watched! I am a locksmith by trade which, compared to many other trades today, is still pretty old school. Yet this is just in a league of its own! I wish I was a tenth as skilled as Mr Gusler! What a craftsman, what an artist, what a tradesman. I believe that that is truly what a great tradesman is and should aspire to be. Though I know that with today’s technology spending 300 hours building such a work of art from such raw materials is truly in a completely different realm in actual feasibility. It really does become art! Just how proud this craftsman must feel about his work I cannot fathom and can only be left in complete awe! I enjoyed every second watching that. 😮
This is a fine example of what a TV show should look like. Clear, concise, informative, no "hidden messages" wonderfully narrated, with only what the viewer needs to know. Zero waffling.
I am totally astounded- in two respects. Firstly, the skill and artistry of the gunsmith is truly remarkable. I have a Damascus barreled gun, made by ‘Stapp’ of London in the early 1800s and this film makes me appreciate it on a whole different level. Secondly, the quality of this documentary is notable. It shames more modern productions that rely on a combination of crass commentary, multiple recaps and histrionics as a substitute for intelligent content. It would seem that the demise of the gunsmithing skills so aptly demonstrated in this film are mirrored by the decline in standards of education.
As a retired mechanical engineer I watched with fascination the craftsmanship and precision of this gunsmith work. It is a true work of art! I am very very impressed with a skill of this man.
I’m 4th generation machinist/grindhand in my family, and this stuff is a passion. When I started watching the gun drilling procedure, I immediately wondered how many bits he breaks. I got my answer. That takes so much skill to do that without the “feel” you have on today’s feed mechanisms. Pretty amazing that guns have been made for as long as they have.
It was released in 1969 My birth year It’s a different level of gunsmithing They had to know absolutely everything from steel fordging to wood finishing They were definitely true craftsman
This truly reminds me of how comfortable i am as a machinist today I can spit out ~ 5-6 precision ground barrels per week with just the stuff i have at home
@Gerald Ammons 7000 dollars in 1960's, when made from the ground up as shown in this video, yes, theres a reason they were expensive back in the day too :) And thats not something done as a hobby, its years of 24/7 devotion. The kits most people assemble as a hobby these days: Not that much.
There are still a lot of real gunsmiths all over the US that do this work. Most even do it building “modern” guns. Their wait lists for a custom rifle, revolver or 1911 are sometimes years long. Even with modern machines and tools. Most of it has to be done by hand to get the high level of quality.
@Patrick Ancona I would bet that gunsmiths in the cities used division of labor. If one wants so badly to hide secrets he wouldn't have apprentices. I believe that in a city there would be a master overseeing specialists who rotate through the different jobs, the same way violins have been made for a long time and still are. Actually by dividing up the whole job, his underlings don't learn the whole job unless he lets them rotate, so he could reduce competition that way. Guns have always been passed down and still are. The population was doubling every 25 years back then. I doubt a black powder gun would last as long, due to corrosion, as smokeless guns do nowadays.
This has to be one of the most interesting videos I've ever watched. I never considered the skills needed to be a gunsmith, particularly the blacksmithing.
@Gemmasterian They are not weapons. They are tools. They become weapons when people use them as such, just like any other tool. And before you say "guns are built to kill", no they're not. They are certainly capable of it, as are knives and hammers and #2 pencils, but they are not designed to kill. They are designed to fire bullets, which can be for hunting, sport, or self-defense. When we think of hunting or self defense, we say "Yeah but that's still killing", which may be true by definition, but there's a big difference between killing and murder. Every time you drive a car, you kill bugs. You pluck a head of lettuce for your salad, you're killing it. In fact, it's impossible for you to navigate a single day of your life without killing something, or reaping the benefits of a kill. Without killing on some level, we could not survive. No animal could. A gun is simply a tool that helps us do that more effectively. That should not be pigeonholed with the same type of violent killing associated with crime and murder, as it's very different. Even in self defense, there's not a parent alive that wouldn't kill a human that was trying to hurt their child or take their life. Again, the firearm is a useful tool. It's why the police carry them. When you're at a shooting competition, and you're killing nothing more than a paper target or knocking over an iron sil, the firearm isn't a weapon, it's a tool. When you're hunting, it's not a weapon. It's a tool. When you're defending your life or the life of an innocent, it's STILL not a weapon, but a tool. A lifesaving tool. It only becomes a weapon when people put it in their hands and march out saying "I'm going to use this to take a life or commit a crime" (or in the military, separate issue). Once you wrap your mind around that, things look a lot different.
@ShiroTheHiro True. It is annoying while I do understand peoples apprehension over the danger of guns (I mean they are weapons) I think that they should be still able to understand the craftmanship of them and the amount of engineering required to make even the most basic of guns.
@littleteethkeith truer words have not been spoken. I try and tell people about this side of firearms - the metallurgy, the art, the craftsmanship, the engineering, machining and so on - and all they want to hear is about how they kill people and have no respect for any other facet of firearms. It really is sad.
As Armoury is part of my profession and the quest to understand how guns were made, I miraclosly stumbled on this film a few days after thinking how they did it and I was blown away by the artistry of Mr W Gustler. I was mesmerized by his ability of completing every facet and after watching realised that he was more than just a gunsmith he was a Grand Master Gunsmith. I hope people can apreciate that a gun from that era was made with blood sweat and tears. I am still in awe............
My grandfather was a gunsmith for a living. I am a hobbiest one just for my own guns. The amount of work Gustler did was amazing just with hand tools and not modern lathes and milling machines. Hats off to him. I have milling machine and modern lathes. Doing all that work by hand is amazing.
I've watched this video at least 50 times over the years. I started building muzzleloaders in 1975. I'm nowhere close to Mr. Gussler's level, but I enjoy doing it. He was a true artist. Even if you're just a kit-builder, you'll learn a lot about the craft.
Many good gunsmiths that can build a good rifle for a fair price also. If you want a good rifle at a ok price look at Reimer Johannsen from Germany. They built Mauser actions and barreled actions for many of the big famous firms when there were not many who made large Mauser actions in quantas needed.
Thanks for the up load buddy ! This little program is an absolute 'gem', so informative, educational and very entertaining. The amount of man hours that went into making one of those rifles was simply astounding especially in this age of instant everything. Watching things like this inspires me to take on those projects that I thought were beyond my abilities, he (Wallace Gussler) did all that with the bare minimum of tools, a bucket load of hard work and skill. Hats off to all those long forgotten gunsmiths, artisans of their craft who helped people put food on the table and the 'Red coats' from the door (and I say that as a Red Coat, lol).
Saw this back in high school in the early 70's. Absolutely astounded. For those who don't know, Mr.Brinkley,the narrator, was part of the nightly news for NBC ,a distinguished journalist during the the tumultuous era of the 50s, 60s and 70's. Mr. Devane, who voices the gunsmith, a prominent actor of the time. Never got the chance to visit Mr.Gusler at work in his shop sadly. Brilliant film,thank you for posting.
I am really staggered by the quality of this fabulous production, as said elsewhere oh if programmes were made like this now, what a great entertainment TV would be. Thank you so very much for showing the skill and patience that is here in buckets full, what a wonderful firearm maker and what a fabulous craft. Very many thanks for this fabulously entertaining film and what a magnificent rifle. RIP Mr Gusler. We are still fascinated by your artistry.
A wonderful culture that sadly is fading away... and I'm not talking about Colonial days, but the value that was once placed on knowledge such as this, and the remembrance of how we came to be Americans.
This is hands down the coolest, most interesting and informational video I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered how such beautiful guns were made and the type of tool used to make them. Not only did they make beautiful rifles they made the tools used to make it also. I’ve always wanted to get into blacksmithing I have some wood working skills. I think I want to make my own black powder rifle. Since they’re not regulated by the government I think I’m gonna try. Thanks for the amazing video.
There are kits you can buy. A channel called Duelist1954 completed one of those kits a while back. Still an enormous amount of work,but very satisfying. Look him up,see if such is for you. Cheers.
Thanks for uploading this. Years ago, when I was in welding school, our teacher showed us this it's great to see it again. That man is a true master of his craft.
Всем доброго дня! Дамы и господа, это же настоящее наслаждение: смотреть за работой людей с поистине золотыми руками! Старинное искусство, воспроизведенное в полноценном фильме-исследовании - замечательная работа! Браво и низкий поклон мастеру! Спасибо всем! С уважением А.Т., Россия.
@FainderS Kurs-koi , наверное, удивлю, но соглашусь насчет "тупорылых бестолочей" - того же сантехника с прямыми руками найти практически невозможно! Крайне мало мастеров...
This man is certainly a Master Craftsman and is amazing what boggles my mind is that someone long before him thought of and designed each and everyone of these parts and figured out how to make this whole thing work as one unit. Not to take anything away from this man of course.
Thanks for posting! I visited here in 1967 with my family when I was 15 and fascinated with firearms. Unfortunately the gun shop wasn't manned but I distinctly remember the spiraled timber and rack used for the rifling. I also remember hundreds of smooth-bore muskets lining the walls of the armory. I did get to see them demo one of the muskets with a cloth wad as a blank. Even if the blacksmith had been there, only a very small part of this lengthy process would have been seen, and now I know the whole story, so thanks again for posting!
I have seen tens of thousands of videos on youtube here, and this is the best thing I have ever seen. My jaw dropped and stayed there the entire way through! Absolutely amazing thanks!
What an absolute gem of a historical documentary this is! The level of highly accomplished skills are truly remarkable for one person, particularly one so young! He literally made every single piece of that rifle from raw materials, then brought them together to create this beautiful, working piece of art. I haven't enjoyed and appreciated a historical documentary like I did with this one, its truly captivating! Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of history, subscribed.
It has been nearly 30 years since I saw this video. I remember the video well. I first got into muzzleloading in the mid 70s. Movies like this never really get old.
one of the best clips I have seen in my entire life. Now I am 56 years old and intersted in firearms since I was a kid at the age of 4 years. Among decades I always was interested in gunsmithing and this clip brings back the importance of these skilled men. Without them in the 18th century USA would never been founded. This clip should be seen by everybody in the whole world to show and remind in the great history of the early decades of the young USA. This outstanding nation is built and crreated by strong, skilled and free men who decided to settle down in the new world from Europe to create a better world. AND THIS HAPPENED AMONG THE CENTURIES......
@M1A1 Abrams It’s not some genetic trait that our ancestors possessed that made this country great; it was the opportunity that called to our ancestors to come and live up to their dreams and potential. That opportunity still calls to people who seek freedom and a chance to contribute to our American legacy.
As an Englishman I concur. The foundation of the USA was a pivotal moment in the history of the world and the skills demonstrated so ably here are part of that story. How sad that the culture that has given the world so much is now so degraded and so corrupted.
I had never seen this before. Brilliant and lovingly made. David Brinkley (Huntley and Brinkley) is the narrator and William Devane, the veteran character actor (recently starring in Bosch-Legacy) is the voice of the gunsmith. Very much worth a watch, even if you don't care for firearms you may appreciate the art, engineering and craftsmanship that these 'tools' encompass. They forged and sustained our new and vulnerable Republic. They are a significant part of who we are and what we would become.
Wow, this is without a doubt the most interesting video I've seen in a very long time. The craftsmanship is astonishing, over 300 hours to make a beautiful work of art, I wonder how much he would be paid for that.
@Emanuel Mifsud In general, stock blanks can be fairly cheap in America unless you want exotic wood or high grade Claro Walnut. I'm in a prairie state and Black Walnut is very common. A logging company will only give you $200.00 - 800.00 for a whole tree. And that's if you have enough to make it worth their time and travel. They generally want to harvest about 30 trees on a wood lot minimum. If you live where there's hard Maple, that will be cheap. It depends upon your location and if you have a sawmill close by that you can buy a Green slab direct. If you have to buy a kiln dried slab from a wood store you're going to pay 10x more. You can also buy a log from a person and take it in and have it milled to your specs. The only stock wood I'm familiar with down under is Coachwood.
@Gary Biggs How much do you think it would cost, some timbers are expensive, otherwise wrought iron could be salvaged materials.Here in Australia, the land of waste so much is sent to the tip or scrapped you can make many things from scrap. I build scratch steam engines from mostly waste materials e.g copper tubing from electric water boiler, galvanized iron from waste bins at guttering factories, etc
@Emanuel Mifsud I don't think the materials would be anywhere near $2K. Wrought iron flat stock would be the toughest to find. Old horse drawn farm machinery or wagons would be your best supply stock.
I will estimate the cost. At say $25/hour by 300 hours equals $7500, cost of materials say $2000, so I would say he probably sells them for say $12,000 for him to make a profit and pay tax. He must only make say 7 guns a year, all collectors item
I've been a tattoo artist for a decade and I thought putting 100 hours into a backpiece was something....its NOTHING compared to this. Pretty amazing. This guy is still alive and still making guns at 79 as far as I can tell by some quick internet sleuthing.
An amazing documentary wonderfully illustrating the varied talents of a master of his craft. Difficult for me to imagine the patience and dedication required to acquire the various skills, incrementally developed over time to reach such a level of mastery.
In light of the difficulty and craftsmanship required to build one rifle, Eli Whitney's accomplishments seem all the more remarkable. Great documentary.
This was such a lovely video. A final shot of the whole gun shown just on it's own against a plain background would have been satisfying. This video shows a glimpse into the changes and adaptions over the history of making rifles and many other firearms. Thank you so much.
As a blacksmith and custom knife maker this video really amazed me. The amount of craftsmanship that went into making this fine firearm is absolutely outstanding.
They are beautiful works of art and craftsmanship, a testament to skill and dedication. The teaching and learning, the techniques and the machines. A mesmerizing look into the creation of only a single rifle. It makes me feel just a bit sad that it has such a limited rate of fire though. Somehow I feel like for such work and dedication and time and effort he deserves something more like a devastating laser or plasma rifle.
I think I discovered this video a little over 40 years ago, bought VHS copies and DVDs of and everything else offered by Colonial Williamsburg, but this one remains one of a handful of life changing introductions that have opened up a world of study I might have missed. I am so glad it is still getting viewed. One never fully understands the past until you know something of the technology of the times, and without that, you can't fully appreciate our own time.
I went to Williamsburg as a kid back in the 80’s.I still have the toy flintlock replica my parents bought for me.This excellent documentary actually reminded me that i still have that toy gun somewhere around.Nothing compared to what was involved in crafting the authentic flintlock of course.
That was amazing to watch from start to finish. I have so much admiration for the gunsmith's art and skill in this era. The broad nature of what are really specialist skills, all in one craftsman, allowing the creation of such a rifle shows the height of what a person could achieve in the pre-industrial period.
All I can say is I'm utterly impressed in every station of this rifle build. This man and those equal of his extreme ability, were masters, and men of astounding caliber and character..
I always wondered how old muskets were made. I researched and found a lot of newer tricks (buttons and all that for one and welding over a negative bar) but this actually answers all my questions.
Thank you mr Wallace Gusler, the producers and the uploader for sharing your astonishing craftsmanship. It is a joy and an education to watch half a century later.
Such a detailed movie of his craft as manship. I only did a very small part of building a Kentucky black powder pistol from a kit probably 45 years ago and still have it to this day. Still had to do a lit of file and fitting work. I browned the barrel and it has held all these years.
I remember seeing this when I was just a young kid in the 70's. I watched it one time and never forgot it. Never realized how much time and craftsmanship went into building one rifle. I'm sure it's value was high to whoever owned one back in those days. Came across this video today by accident and am glad I did 40+ years later.
thanks for sharing this.. what an incredible artisan and craftsman.. its amazing to see how he builds it all from first principles.. and you can really appreciate the work and effort put into making this gun. Truly amazing.. when he makes his own spring you can really feel he is the master of his craft
What incredible craftsmanship,knowledge and patience involved. The young gunsmith must’ve began learning the craft/art when he was probably just 5 or 6 years old.He had to be a blacksmith,machinist,carpenter,locksmith,engraver and artist. I find this to be an incredible gift of both talent and skill that we no longer see today which speaks volumes about todays youth. Just imagine an army requiring/demanding the sought after skills and craftsmen supplying them in volume.How did the colonists manage to manufacture such a vast number of muskets while under the watchful eyes of the British? This should be required viewing for today’s youth to show what they’re capable of accomplishing.
My dad (who died in 2014) loved making flintlock rifles. He bought the barrels and flintlock mechanisms from Dixie Gun Works and made his own gunstocks; we lived in the country, with a lot of walnut trees on our land. And yes, he used them to hunt deer.
A true masterpiece of story telling, cinematography, craftsmanship and engineering. It is a shame that many trade skills are disappearing. With the advancements in material science, many materials cannot be reproduced outside the lab. This is truly a beautiful piece of historical craftsmanship and skills. An absolute please to watch.
As a modern gunsmith this stuff is amazing to me! Sadly this type of work is almost obsolete. It would be nice to see more blacksmithing involved in the art today although it is not needed nearly as often with current tech and tooling. Either way this is an awesome doc. Covering an art that many don’t get to see.
It truly struck me what a substantial investment a rifle was during this period of history. No wonder gunsmith would go back and repeatedly modify rifles from flintlock to percussion caps and other innovations as improvements came along given the initial investment that was put forth.
This is a treasure. Thank you for posting. Rest in peace Wallace Gusler. An immeasurable amount of skill and a piece of American history is lost with him.
I had the privilege to watch this man transform simple materials into functional works of art. He is mesmerizing as he is meticulous. And so gracious. Truly amazing to watch. As I learned my lifecraft from my Father and other mentors with the perseverance and patience to pass their knowledge and skillset, I pray Mr. Gusler passed(s) his onto a protege of his choosing. These masters are becoming rare and scarce in this pushbutton, instant-gratification society of today. There are so few master craftsmen to teach their craft. Sad, so very sad....
What a fascinating video! The craftsmanship is masterful. Very difficult to find this kind of multi-talented craftsman in our times. I visited Colonial Williamsburg in 1971 as part of a "Living History" training tour with the National Park Service and observed some of these craftsmen working in their shops. This visit truly brought history to life and solidified my appreciation for the skills and products of fine craftsmen. This video tells such a wonderful story and tells it so well. If ever presented with the opportunity to visit Colonial Williamsburg, do not miss it! Thank you so much for making this living history documentary available on KZclip.
We were blessed to be able to see the gunsmiths working at Colonial Williamsburg It was amazing to them and others working their craft after their ancient fashion and I recommend everyone who can go there do so
This is genuine Craftsmanship! As we would say in Austria and Germany "Ein Kunstler" (a Master Craftsman)! A skill set few could have the patience to master! Well done! No wonder the price was a stack of beaver pelts the height of the rifle!
My family and I visited Williamsburg a few years ago and it's fascinating! That gunsmith shop is still there and is still in use along with every form of craftsmanship you can think of... Wood working, dress making, jewelry, blacksmith you name it it's there.
These old documentaries are truly national treasures, what a remarkable thing it would be to still have this level of skill at our disposal. Sadly those days are gone for the most part and will never return, such a shame to lose this form of art in gun making.
After watching a DVD of this video way back in 2000, we made a special trip to Colonial Williamsburg just to see the rifles that he made. The machines and tools he used were on display and two of his rifles were on display on the wall. They were amazing, but Wallace was not there because he was ill. He was a master gunsmith.
A real privilege to watch a true craftsman at work. No machine could ever make a gun like this, if you have ever touched a piece made by hand you can feel the maker in the item.
During WW2 my Father was in the Royal Engineers then the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. the closest he got to action was having to handle Mules in Italy. Whilst he was in the UK he constantly got into trouble because his issued rifle barrel had rust pits in it. Having no use for his rifle it became upsetting for him. (His job in the UK was dealing with unexploded bombs in and around London and lifting and replacing land mines on the beaches) Hence before leaving for Italy he strung a length of rope from one end of his hut to the other and coated it in cutting compound. He then threaded the rope through his barrel and ran the barrel up and down the rope until it shone. On arriving in Italy they had a weapons inspection where his rifle was taken away from him smashed and he was issued a new one!! Apparently the rifled barrel was now a smooth bore barrel.
In 1969 I was doing my basic training. REME. Filing, drilling and chiseling, the last producing a blue left hand from repeated blows by the hammer, every time that the chisel end was missed. Worked with no end of 'skilled' people since who think that a file is just a deburring tool, and laugh when told that keyways can be produced with a chisel. Watching them try to sharpen a twist drill, you realize that their training was very limited. Now retired, I still make my own special tools as required. Still have over 50 different types if files, but now need glasses to help see when sharpening drills. Dinosaur.
@daniel watson We were supposed to pour hot water down the barrel on our Lee-Enfield 303 rifles for 6 days after shooting . By taken out the bolt and pouring from that end with a funnel . Then using a pull though with rag on it. The metal would , " sweat " , so the hot water would remove powder residue . It was a good gun , very accurate in the hands of an expert shooter which I was not !
As a gunsmith my self, i find it super interesting how hard all the cutting jobs were, especially deep hole drilling, when all you had was carbon steel made tools, constant reshaping, constant re hardening and resharpening just to do a simple boring job. Going from carbon steel tools to HSS was the same big leap back then as we advanced from HSS to carbide Tools. I actually own some very good gunmaking literature from the 1950's and there is still described how to make your own rifling buttons out of carbon steel. Also the use of simple carbon steel drill bits was still the norm.
This was spectacular, I especially like the manner in which they demonstrate how a disciplined hand can create such beauty. It's something you see in blade crafting, but is so frequently overlooked in machines, even hand made ones.
Awesome video, the multiple skills involved and the sheer volume of work involved just to make one rifle is mind blowing. Just remember people that this process would be done over a number of days but what you don't see is the amount of time it takes just to make the tools to make the rifle, multiple files in multiple shapes and roughness, god knows how many different drill bits, as he said a few get broken with every rifle made screwdrivers chissels engraving tools, mandrill's, the rifling machine /bore drill. It's a mamouth task just making those let alone the rifle. True craftsmanship indeed
Fantastic! Seeing a talented craftsman working his skills is just amazing to watch. Building a fully functioning and accurate rifle from a pile of metal and a plank of wood...simply staggering to consider and without the benefit of power equipment. Loved this presentation. Now, back to my comfortable shop to work on my Kibler Colonial kit...with all the hard stuff already done for me!
Wow…… wow. Incredible talent to do this. The old school gunsmith’s are just like the old school Japanese katana sword smiths 🥰 respect!! Super fascinating to watch
It's interesting how the skills involved in building a gun have changed. Things are geared in such a different manner today for mass production with intricate components. A different kind of craftsmanship, one that has to survive the leap from the tool room.
From raw iron, wood and materials to a decorative but practical and accurate firearm. So many hours of work and skill put into that rifle, its a work of art. Amazing.
A trip back in time. I am 75 years old and at the first words of the narrator knew it was David Brinkley. A great documentary. I also inherited my father's 1836, John Selvidge, ~36cal, Cap & ball Tennessee squirrel rifle. The lock, trigger, hair trigger, are leaf springs and very similar to those from the Colonial times.
@D Anemon Exactly..no Gold..Silver is 100x less expensive and was an expected decorative addition to a privately produced weapon of the time. Hammers, triggers, inlays ect. Nothing special done here.
@theflyingfool Meh, Kinda, The French weapons brought in for the Revolution were very high quality, The Domestic ones were even nicer..We just didn't have the industry set in place to produce so many in a short time without creating a detriment to quality and durability. The thing a lot of folks forget is how important the weapon was for a settler. It was akin to a car today. Life without one could be difficult . Also, much like cars, They may look individualized and some may have more time invested in appearance and finish but overall they are the same product. A product that directly reflects their Value and Durability. Pride was taken in every step of the process so, unless it was a true POS weapon by a carpet bagger Smithy, , in which case, it is forgotten with time, left on the battlefield or tossed into the scrap heap upon failure as was the Smith/Foundry/Armory that made them.
![[MV] 마마무+ '나쁜놈 (Aniri ver.) (Feat. 김준수)'](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bHW_k6bIUeU/mqdefault.jpg)
This documentary was made in 1969, two years after I was born. Just 50 years ago television programs did not consider their viewers dumb. No hyped-up fast-paced narration. You can actually see every single operation. The combination of a narrator and a first person singular account works amazingly well. A treasure.
Yep, some even remember Walter Cronkite!! I also treasure the engineering videos from that period. They were a large part of my college prep and were ( are) extremely informative. Thanks for the share.
I recognized Devane.....sigh, but not Brinkley. (I knew the voice, but couldn't remember the name)
This was very cool to watch.
I love when tv shows you to not wear gloves when working with tiny pieces of metal
Very true:. Holland&Holland has a documentary ,with slight differences, has this same procedure. With the difference that there is a department for each process instead of 'one smith does all'. Great share thankyou!!
Rest in peace Wallace Gusler, 1931-2022. A true master of his craft!
Most all the big names are gone . Pity ,they were great times .
@74KU remember that when your car turns past 300k miles
Did he have apprentices, to pass on the skill, or just videos like this?
@Darrin Inverarity When you are sold the line that Robot can do the job of 10 men for 1/10th the cost with no quality lost you expect greater precision for 1/10th the cost.
Its all a lie though, just another industrial revolution without luddites.
@Final Front Studios Such an artist and skilled craftsman will live for hundreds of years
I spent three years building custom 1911 pistols on an assembly line. My hands were like raw hide when i left. I used modern mills, lathes and surface grinders. But I also used files every day. It really makes you appreciate the skill of a guy like this to do what he was doing. It's hard to explain but when you look at the same steel parts day in and out for years you can see a half thousands of an inch difference. My mentor there said that, that some of the guns he had from the late 1800s had much tighter tolerances on fine fitted parts than today's guns. And those dudes did not even have electricity. Lol great video.
The term “tolerance” is not the same as “precision”. If you are making a lot of parts and you want them to be completely interchangeable, then you define how big and how small they can be and still fit and function. That is tolerance. If you are making one thing by hand, you can make its parts fit very closely even if you don’t know their numerical size. That’s precise, and a wonderful fit, but because interchangeability is not important, tolerances are irrelevant.
i tell my non machinist friends i can see in thousandths of inches and they tell me i'm crazy when i can see the imperfections in a table's flatness and texture
glad i'm not the only crazy
You can get a skilled eye if you do something enough. I am an old carpenter and I could see something out of plumb, easily.
Really enjoyed this throughout the whole program. Wish they could do tv like this today. No flashy scripts. No fast cutting between 50 different camera angles. No host screaming "VERY DANGEROUS" every 15 seconds. Just focused on the art itself and the artisan. Thanks for sharing this gem.
Cheers!
I find this style very relaxing, as opposed to tv that focuses on conflict, problems, and deadlines. Its presented as if something doesn't happen within a predetermined amount of time, the world will explode. This guy spent 300 hrs on this rifle, no rush, and the result is a timeless piece of art that will last centuries.
Are you seriously asking History Channel to have standards? You know there are plenty of info videos like this? They're just all on the internet
No mention of climate change. Documentaries today could be about pencils and would spend at least 10 minutes talking about climate change. Watchmaking, gotta talk about how climate change affects the watchmaking industry, and how watchmaking affects climate change. Sword making in Japan? Gotta talk about how it is related to climate change and spend ten minutes explaining climate change as though the viewer has never heard of climate change before this documentary.
@Michael Parting OP said TV specifically, since this program was originally made for TV.
The rifle built in front of our eyes is a treasure indeed. I have been to Williamsburg three times in my youth, and was always drawn to this foundry to watch the Gunsmith at work. He was different each time, and in the different time of construction on a musket or rifle. But I learned to appreciate the skills and patience needed to have a finished product. The last time I was at Williamsburg, I was 14, just three years short of my first .22 rifle. It was a real learning experience as I was able (with careful monitoring) to shape the stock somewhat. Real experience that I was able to take into my 20's and 30's as I specialized in restoring stocks on rifles that were burned or broken. "Furniture" stocks, handguards, and forends were called, and quite rightly so as it took many hours to restore or replace the burned wood from house fires and neglect. I really learned to appreciate the work that goes into gunsmithing (it doen't stop when sights are installed, many things you have to learn and apply to your calling). I am 67 now, a little slower but much more learned.
I was a friend of Mike Walker of Remington in the last 12-14 yrs of his life. He was retired but still working 3-6 hrs every day doing gunsmithing/reloading and benchrest shooting.. Mike's last rifle that he built before his death at 101 yrs old was a 260 ackly. I was able to help some on this rifle. He built it for me to deer hunt with. One of many over the years..... What a great man with lots of interesting stories from his work at Remington!! I still have some of his tools and rifles I bought that he used in benchrest competition.. This video was well made. Thanks for posting!!
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@Clint Wilde I see, so thats how ya get used to recoil huh? I've been doing it wrong and waiting for my shoulder bruise to go away to fire another.
Mike Walker was a member of Polk County Gun Club in NC. He was working almost to his last days. The recoil would make him blind for a while after every shot, but it did not stop him from continuing his most favorite passion. He would just wait for his vision to clear, and fire another one.
What a legendary experience to have known Mr. Walker not to mention a 260 AI built by him.
@Kelly Meggison I think he wants to know how the action closes. Does it have a bolt, is it a break barrel (shotgun style), lever gun etc.
Incredible Ken! You must have a great collection, do you have a website or something?
Wow, that was one of the best documentaries I’ve ever watched! I am a locksmith by trade which, compared to many other trades today, is still pretty old school. Yet this is just in a league of its own! I wish I was a tenth as skilled as Mr Gusler! What a craftsman, what an artist, what a tradesman. I believe that that is truly what a great tradesman is and should aspire to be. Though I know that with today’s technology spending 300 hours building such a work of art from such raw materials is truly in a completely different realm in actual feasibility. It really does become art! Just how proud this craftsman must feel about his work I cannot fathom and can only be left in complete awe! I enjoyed every second watching that. 😮
This is a fine example of what a TV show should look like. Clear, concise, informative, no "hidden messages" wonderfully narrated, with only what the viewer needs to know. Zero waffling.
There are still plenty of documentaries like this. Subtext, metaphor and drama are still acceptable in media
I am totally astounded- in two respects. Firstly, the skill and artistry of the gunsmith is truly remarkable. I have a Damascus barreled gun, made by ‘Stapp’ of London in the early 1800s and this film makes me appreciate it on a whole different level. Secondly, the quality of this documentary is notable. It shames more modern productions that rely on a combination of crass commentary, multiple recaps and histrionics as a substitute for intelligent content. It would seem that the demise of the gunsmithing skills so aptly demonstrated in this film are mirrored by the decline in standards of education.
Decline in standards of education? 😅
😂😂😂
You’ve spent a lot of time in schools lately? 👾
Well put.
As a retired mechanical engineer I watched with fascination the craftsmanship and precision of this gunsmith work. It is a true work of art! I am very very impressed with a skill of this man.
I’m 4th generation machinist/grindhand in my family, and this stuff is a passion. When I started watching the gun drilling procedure, I immediately wondered how many bits he breaks. I got my answer. That takes so much skill to do that without the “feel” you have on today’s feed mechanisms. Pretty amazing that guns have been made for as long as they have.
It was released in 1969
My birth year
It’s a different level of gunsmithing
They had to know absolutely everything from steel fordging to wood finishing
They were definitely true craftsman
This truly reminds me of how comfortable i am as a machinist today
I can spit out ~ 5-6 precision ground barrels per week with just the stuff i have at home
Indeed. These guys must have been highly valued in the colonies with these skills.
@Gerald Ammons 7000 dollars in 1960's, when made from the ground up as shown in this video, yes, theres a reason they were expensive back in the day too :)
And thats not something done as a hobby, its years of 24/7 devotion.
The kits most people assemble as a hobby these days: Not that much.
There are still a lot of real gunsmiths all over the US that do this work. Most even do it building “modern” guns. Their wait lists for a custom rifle, revolver or 1911 are sometimes years long. Even with modern machines and tools. Most of it has to be done by hand to get the high level of quality.
@Patrick Ancona I would bet that gunsmiths in the cities used division of labor. If one wants so badly to hide secrets he wouldn't have apprentices. I believe that in a city there would be a master overseeing specialists who rotate through the different jobs, the same way violins have been made for a long time and still are. Actually by dividing up the whole job, his underlings don't learn the whole job unless he lets them rotate, so he could reduce competition that way.
Guns have always been passed down and still are. The population was doubling every 25 years back then. I doubt a black powder gun would last as long, due to corrosion, as smokeless guns do nowadays.
This has to be one of the most interesting videos I've ever watched. I never considered the skills needed to be a gunsmith, particularly the blacksmithing.
@Diggy Soze That's a fancy way of saying "logic"
@HeWhoIsWhoHeIs that’s some fancy mental gymnastics
@Gemmasterian They are not weapons. They are tools. They become weapons when people use them as such, just like any other tool. And before you say "guns are built to kill", no they're not. They are certainly capable of it, as are knives and hammers and #2 pencils, but they are not designed to kill. They are designed to fire bullets, which can be for hunting, sport, or self-defense. When we think of hunting or self defense, we say "Yeah but that's still killing", which may be true by definition, but there's a big difference between killing and murder. Every time you drive a car, you kill bugs. You pluck a head of lettuce for your salad, you're killing it.
In fact, it's impossible for you to navigate a single day of your life without killing something, or reaping the benefits of a kill. Without killing on some level, we could not survive. No animal could. A gun is simply a tool that helps us do that more effectively. That should not be pigeonholed with the same type of violent killing associated with crime and murder, as it's very different. Even in self defense, there's not a parent alive that wouldn't kill a human that was trying to hurt their child or take their life. Again, the firearm is a useful tool. It's why the police carry them.
When you're at a shooting competition, and you're killing nothing more than a paper target or knocking over an iron sil, the firearm isn't a weapon, it's a tool. When you're hunting, it's not a weapon. It's a tool. When you're defending your life or the life of an innocent, it's STILL not a weapon, but a tool. A lifesaving tool. It only becomes a weapon when people put it in their hands and march out saying "I'm going to use this to take a life or commit a crime" (or in the military, separate issue). Once you wrap your mind around that, things look a lot different.
@ShiroTheHiro True. It is annoying while I do understand peoples apprehension over the danger of guns (I mean they are weapons) I think that they should be still able to understand the craftmanship of them and the amount of engineering required to make even the most basic of guns.
@littleteethkeith truer words have not been spoken. I try and tell people about this side of firearms - the metallurgy, the art, the craftsmanship, the engineering, machining and so on - and all they want to hear is about how they kill people and have no respect for any other facet of firearms. It really is sad.
As Armoury is part of my profession and the quest to understand how guns were made, I miraclosly stumbled on this film a few days after thinking how they did it and I was blown away by the artistry of Mr W Gustler. I was mesmerized by his ability of completing every facet and after watching realised that he was more than just a gunsmith he was a Grand Master Gunsmith. I hope people can apreciate that a gun from that era was made with blood sweat and tears. I am still in awe............
My grandfather was a gunsmith for a living. I am a hobbiest one just for my own guns. The amount of work Gustler did was amazing just with hand tools and not modern lathes and milling machines. Hats off to him. I have milling machine and modern lathes. Doing all that work by hand is amazing.
I've watched this video at least 50 times over the years. I started building muzzleloaders in 1975. I'm nowhere close to Mr. Gussler's level, but I enjoy doing it. He was a true artist. Even if you're just a kit-builder, you'll learn a lot about the craft.
This is the video that molded me in my formative years. My family [reluctantly] also knows this video by heart. 11/10 So many lessons in this movie.
@Dank of Canada great video I loved watching it. Very relaxing and informative
I enjoyed this also.
Many good gunsmiths that can build a good rifle for a fair price also. If you want a good rifle at a ok price look at Reimer Johannsen from Germany. They built Mauser actions and barreled actions for many of the big famous firms when there were not many who made large Mauser actions in quantas needed.
@ALLAN RABINOWITZ t ????
@Russ Cooke t
I’ve studied every aspect of guns and their makers for four decades now. I think I learned more in this ONE HOUR than any other in 40 years… BRAVO!
Thanks for the up load buddy ! This little program is an absolute 'gem', so informative, educational and very entertaining. The amount of man hours that went into making one of those rifles was simply astounding especially in this age of instant everything.
Watching things like this inspires me to take on those projects that I thought were beyond my abilities, he (Wallace Gussler) did all that with the bare minimum of tools, a bucket load of hard work and skill. Hats off to all those long forgotten gunsmiths, artisans of their craft who helped people put food on the table and the 'Red coats' from the door (and I say that as a Red Coat, lol).
Saw this back in high school in the early 70's. Absolutely astounded. For those who don't know, Mr.Brinkley,the narrator, was part of the nightly news for NBC ,a distinguished journalist during the the tumultuous era of the 50s, 60s and 70's. Mr. Devane, who voices the gunsmith, a prominent actor of the time. Never got the chance to visit Mr.Gusler at work in his shop sadly. Brilliant film,thank you for posting.
I thought his voice sounded familiar.There seemed to be another narrator as well who i first thought he sounded like Henry Fonda.Thanks
@Houston K Petty ??
@Russ Cooke x'I
@TrappenWeisseGuy ; I was wondering who he reminded me of. Your right he does sound like him. 👌👌🏴🏴🏴
My jr high wood shop teacher showed us this video in 1990. I never saw it until I just stumbled on it here.
I am really staggered by the quality of this fabulous production, as said elsewhere oh if programmes were made like this now, what a great entertainment TV would be.
Thank you so very much for showing the skill and patience that is here in buckets full, what a wonderful firearm maker and what a fabulous craft. Very many thanks for this fabulously entertaining film and what a magnificent rifle. RIP Mr Gusler. We are still fascinated by your artistry.
A wonderful culture that sadly is fading away... and I'm not talking about Colonial days, but the value that was once placed on knowledge such as this, and the remembrance of how we came to be Americans.
I worried the state our Country will be in in the next 10 years after this Administration. They destroyed everything great about our Country.
This is hands down the coolest, most interesting and informational video I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered how such beautiful guns were made and the type of tool used to make them. Not only did they make beautiful rifles they made the tools used to make it also. I’ve always wanted to get into blacksmithing I have some wood working skills. I think I want to make my own black powder rifle. Since they’re not regulated by the government I think I’m gonna try. Thanks for the amazing video.
Well good luck to you brother and empirum bless
There are kits you can buy. A channel called Duelist1954 completed one of those kits a while back. Still an enormous amount of work,but very satisfying. Look him up,see if such is for you. Cheers.
Tuddle
Good luck, so in 5 years you will make a rifle that will work, maybe.
Thanks for uploading this. Years ago, when I was in welding school, our teacher showed us this it's great to see it again. That man is a true master of his craft.
Всем доброго дня! Дамы и господа, это же настоящее наслаждение: смотреть за работой людей с поистине золотыми руками! Старинное искусство, воспроизведенное в полноценном фильме-исследовании - замечательная работа! Браво и низкий поклон мастеру! Спасибо всем! С уважением А.Т., Россия.
@Александр Терентьев Сейчас вообще нет специалистов. А если и остались кой де, в закромах. то травят как собак.
@FainderS Kurs-koi , наверное, удивлю, но соглашусь насчет "тупорылых бестолочей" - того же сантехника с прямыми руками найти практически невозможно! Крайне мало мастеров...
Да, а сейчас ЧПУ и тупорылые бестолочи. Подписался. Интересно смотреть некоторые приемы в обработке.
This man is certainly a Master Craftsman and is amazing what boggles my mind is that someone long before him thought of and designed each and everyone of these parts and figured out how to make this whole thing work as one unit. Not to take anything away from this man of course.
Thanks for posting! I visited here in 1967 with my family when I was 15 and fascinated with firearms. Unfortunately the gun shop wasn't manned but I distinctly remember the spiraled timber and rack used for the rifling. I also remember hundreds of smooth-bore muskets lining the walls of the armory. I did get to see them demo one of the muskets with a cloth wad as a blank. Even if the blacksmith had been there, only a very small part of this lengthy process would have been seen, and now I know the whole story, so thanks again for posting!
I’m in absolute awe ! Thank you for posting this historical beauty!
I have seen tens of thousands of videos on youtube here, and this is the best thing I have ever seen. My jaw dropped and stayed there the entire way through! Absolutely amazing thanks!
My self included..
What an absolute gem of a historical documentary this is!
The level of highly accomplished skills are truly remarkable for one person, particularly one so young!
He literally made every single piece of that rifle from raw materials, then brought them together to create this beautiful, working piece of art.
I haven't enjoyed and appreciated a historical documentary like I did with this one, its truly captivating!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of history, subscribed.
It has been nearly 30 years since I saw this video. I remember the video well. I first got into muzzleloading in the mid 70s. Movies like this never really get old.
one of the best clips I have seen in my entire life.
Now I am 56 years old and intersted in firearms since I was a kid at the age of 4 years.
Among decades I always was interested in gunsmithing and this clip brings back the importance of these skilled men.
Without them in the 18th century USA would never been founded.
This clip should be seen by everybody in the whole world to show and remind in the great history of the early decades of the young USA.
This outstanding nation is built and crreated by strong, skilled and free men who decided to settle down in the new world from Europe to create a better world.
AND THIS HAPPENED AMONG THE CENTURIES......
@trackie1957 Yeah sure. As I watch in my 55 years. I don't see it getting better with what is being imported. Sorry it just isn't there.
@M1A1 Abrams
It’s not some genetic trait that our ancestors possessed that made this country great; it was the opportunity that called to our ancestors to come and live up to their dreams and potential. That opportunity still calls to people who seek freedom and a chance to contribute to our American legacy.
As an Englishman I concur. The foundation of the USA was a pivotal moment in the history of the world and the skills demonstrated so ably here are part of that story. How sad that the culture that has given the world so much is now so degraded and so corrupted.
@M1A1 Abrams Now you have a bunch of children pretending to be adults.
And that was if they made it to the New World from Europe. Many did not. Disease, ship wrecks, etc. Definitely people with determination, live or die.
I had never seen this before. Brilliant and lovingly made. David Brinkley (Huntley and Brinkley) is the narrator and William Devane, the veteran character actor (recently starring in Bosch-Legacy) is the voice of the gunsmith. Very much worth a watch, even if you don't care for firearms you may appreciate the art, engineering and craftsmanship that these 'tools' encompass. They forged and sustained our new and vulnerable Republic. They are a significant part of who we are and what we would become.
As a mechanical engineer I found this an enthralling video, wonderful workmanship.
Wow, this is without a doubt the most interesting video I've seen in a very long time. The craftsmanship is astonishing, over 300 hours to make a beautiful work of art, I wonder how much he would be paid for that.
@Emanuel Mifsud In general, stock blanks can be fairly cheap in America unless you want exotic wood or high grade Claro Walnut. I'm in a prairie state and Black Walnut is very common. A logging company will only give you $200.00 - 800.00 for a whole tree. And that's if you have enough to make it worth their time and travel. They generally want to harvest about 30 trees on a wood lot minimum.
If you live where there's hard Maple, that will be cheap. It depends upon your location and if you have a sawmill close by that you can buy a Green slab direct. If you have to buy a kiln dried slab from a wood store you're going to pay 10x more. You can also buy a log from a person and take it in and have it milled to your specs. The only stock wood I'm familiar with down under is Coachwood.
@Gary Biggs How much do you think it would cost, some timbers are expensive, otherwise wrought iron could be salvaged materials.Here in Australia, the land of waste so much is sent to the tip or scrapped you can make many things from scrap. I build scratch steam engines from mostly waste materials e.g copper tubing from electric water boiler, galvanized iron from waste bins at guttering factories, etc
@Emanuel Mifsud I don't think the materials would be anywhere near $2K. Wrought iron flat stock would be the toughest to find. Old horse drawn farm machinery or wagons would be your best supply stock.
I will estimate the cost. At say $25/hour by 300 hours equals $7500, cost of materials say $2000, so I would say he probably sells them for say $12,000 for him to make a profit and pay tax. He must only make say 7 guns a year, all collectors item
I've been a tattoo artist for a decade and I thought putting 100 hours into a backpiece was something....its NOTHING compared to this. Pretty amazing. This guy is still alive and still making guns at 79 as far as I can tell by some quick internet sleuthing.
An amazing documentary wonderfully illustrating the varied talents of a master of his craft. Difficult for me to imagine the patience and dedication required to acquire the various skills, incrementally developed over time to reach such a level of mastery.
In light of the difficulty and craftsmanship required to build one rifle, Eli Whitney's accomplishments seem all the more remarkable. Great documentary.
This was such a lovely video. A final shot of the whole gun shown just on it's own against a plain background would have been satisfying.
This video shows a glimpse into the changes and adaptions over the history of making rifles and many other firearms. Thank you so much.
As a blacksmith and custom knife maker this video really amazed me. The amount of craftsmanship that went into making this fine firearm is absolutely outstanding.
They are beautiful works of art and craftsmanship, a testament to skill and dedication. The teaching and learning, the techniques and the machines. A mesmerizing look into the creation of only a single rifle. It makes me feel just a bit sad that it has such a limited rate of fire though. Somehow I feel like for such work and dedication and time and effort he deserves something more like a devastating laser or plasma rifle.
I think I discovered this video a little over 40 years ago, bought VHS copies and DVDs of and everything else offered by Colonial Williamsburg, but this one remains one of a handful of life changing introductions that have opened up a world of study I might have missed. I am so glad it is still getting viewed. One never fully understands the past until you know something of the technology of the times, and without that, you can't fully appreciate our own time.
I went to Williamsburg as a kid back in the 80’s.I still have the toy flintlock replica my parents bought for me.This excellent documentary actually reminded me that i still have that toy gun somewhere around.Nothing compared to what was involved in crafting the authentic flintlock of course.
That was amazing to watch from start to finish. I have so much admiration for the gunsmith's art and skill in this era. The broad nature of what are really specialist skills, all in one craftsman, allowing the creation of such a rifle shows the height of what a person could achieve in the pre-industrial period.
All I can say is I'm utterly impressed in every station of this rifle build. This man and those equal of his extreme ability, were masters, and men of astounding caliber and character..
I always wondered how old muskets were made. I researched and found a lot of newer tricks (buttons and all that for one and welding over a negative bar) but this actually answers all my questions.
I just bought an 1830’s double barrel shotgun for $100.00. I appreciate it even more now. I’m totally impressed how they were made.
%
Absolutely tremendous. I was held spellbound by this programme - thank you very much from the UK.
A true Artisan deserving of respect. A well done documentary too!
Bardzo pouczający film . Podziwiam kunszt i zdolności artystyczne wykonawcy tej broni.
This gunsmith know more about wood than most carpenters because it’s all about quantity over quality these days
Absolutely awesome, I have shared this with my sons and will watch it again and again . Thank you so much for sharing this and the people who made it.
Fascinating how precise this gun was made.
By hand no less.
Thank you mr Wallace Gusler, the producers and the uploader for sharing your astonishing craftsmanship. It is a joy and an education to watch half a century later.
Such a detailed movie of his craft as manship. I only did a very small part of building a Kentucky black powder pistol from a kit probably 45 years ago and still have it to this day. Still had to do a lit of file and fitting work. I browned the barrel and it has held all these years.
I remember seeing this when I was just a young kid in the 70's. I watched it one time and never forgot it. Never realized how much time and craftsmanship went into building one rifle. I'm sure it's value was high to whoever owned one back in those days. Came across this video today by accident and am glad I did 40+ years later.
thanks for sharing this.. what an incredible artisan and craftsman.. its amazing to see how he builds it all from first principles.. and you can really appreciate the work and effort put into making this gun. Truly amazing.. when he makes his own spring you can really feel he is the master of his craft
What incredible craftsmanship,knowledge and patience involved.
The young gunsmith must’ve began learning the craft/art when he was probably just 5 or 6 years old.He had to be a blacksmith,machinist,carpenter,locksmith,engraver and artist.
I find this to be an incredible gift of both talent and skill that we no longer see today which speaks volumes about todays youth.
Just imagine an army requiring/demanding the sought after skills and craftsmen supplying them in volume.How did the colonists manage to manufacture such a vast number of muskets while under the watchful eyes of the British?
This should be required viewing for today’s youth to show what they’re capable of accomplishing.
My dad (who died in 2014) loved making flintlock rifles. He bought the barrels and flintlock mechanisms from Dixie Gun Works and made his own gunstocks; we lived in the country, with a lot of walnut trees on our land. And yes, he used them to hunt deer.
You certainly need a huge amount of skill when making a masterpiece like that .
This is awesome. I saw this film in a machine tool tech class in 1976. I never thought I'd get to see it again.
A true masterpiece of story telling, cinematography, craftsmanship and engineering. It is a shame that many trade skills are disappearing. With the advancements in material science, many materials cannot be reproduced outside the lab. This is truly a beautiful piece of historical craftsmanship and skills. An absolute please to watch.
I was fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon in the shop (violating the rules) with Wallace in the early 80s. Absolutely fascinating.
Very cool watched all of it. I was really glad at the end when they told how many hours were involved in making the gun. Thank you for posting this
As a modern gunsmith this stuff is amazing to me! Sadly this type of work is almost obsolete. It would be nice to see more blacksmithing involved in the art today although it is not needed nearly as often with current tech and tooling. Either way this is an awesome doc. Covering an art that many don’t get to see.
Thank you for posting this! What an artist Mr. Gusler is! I absolutely enjoyed watching this peek into our past!
It truly struck me what a substantial investment a rifle was during this period of history. No wonder gunsmith would go back and repeatedly modify rifles from flintlock to percussion caps and other innovations as improvements came along given the initial investment that was put forth.
This is a treasure. Thank you for posting. Rest in peace Wallace Gusler. An immeasurable amount of skill and a piece of American history is lost with him.
That is an incredibly detailed video. So glad it is available here.
What an absolute pleasure to watch an artisan, craftsman and master of his trade may he rest in peace
I had the privilege to watch this man transform simple materials into functional works of art. He is mesmerizing as he is meticulous. And so gracious. Truly amazing to watch. As I learned my lifecraft from my Father and other mentors with the perseverance and patience to pass their knowledge and skillset, I pray Mr. Gusler passed(s) his onto a protege of his choosing. These masters are becoming rare and scarce in this pushbutton, instant-gratification society of today. There are so few master craftsmen to teach their craft. Sad, so very sad....
What a fascinating video! The craftsmanship is masterful. Very difficult to find this kind of multi-talented craftsman in our times. I visited Colonial Williamsburg in 1971 as part of a "Living History" training tour with the National Park Service and observed some of these craftsmen working in their shops. This visit truly brought history to life and solidified my appreciation for the skills and products of fine craftsmen. This video tells such a wonderful story and tells it so well. If ever presented with the opportunity to visit Colonial Williamsburg, do not miss it! Thank you so much for making this living history documentary available on KZclip.
I am amazed that I found this again. I borrowed this VHS tape from a professor of mine, this was eye opening to me back in the late 80's
I wish there were more colonial educational programs such as this this is simply awesome
As a gun enthusiast I found this fascinating ; what a craftsman!! Wonderful, thank you.
This man was 4 years younger than I am now. Guess time have moved fast since. Hope he had a nice and happy life. His art was beautiful
We were blessed to be able to see the gunsmiths working at Colonial Williamsburg It was amazing to them and others working their craft after their ancient fashion and I recommend everyone who can go there do so
This is genuine Craftsmanship! As we would say in Austria and Germany "Ein Kunstler" (a Master Craftsman)! A skill set few could have the patience to master! Well done! No wonder the price was a stack of beaver pelts the height of the rifle!
My family and I visited Williamsburg a few years ago and it's fascinating! That gunsmith shop is still there and is still in use along with every form of craftsmanship you can think of... Wood working, dress making, jewelry, blacksmith you name it it's there.
These old documentaries are truly national treasures, what a remarkable thing it would be to still have this level of skill at our disposal. Sadly those days are gone for the most part and will never return, such a shame to lose this form of art in gun making.
People still build these guns in their garages. I had a neighbor who built one.
Amazing film.
Thanks for sharing.
He is a young man here and yet he has mastered all these different skills.
Truly an extremely talented person.
Great respect for these guys . Amazing work .
What a work of art! I would love to own one.
After watching a DVD of this video way back in 2000, we made a special trip to Colonial Williamsburg just to see the rifles that he made. The machines and tools he used were on display and two of his rifles were on display on the wall. They were amazing, but Wallace was not there because he was ill. He was a master gunsmith.
A real privilege to watch a true craftsman at work. No machine could ever make a gun like this, if you have ever touched a piece made by hand you can feel the maker in the item.
During WW2 my Father was in the Royal Engineers then the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. the closest he got to action was having to handle Mules in Italy. Whilst he was in the UK he constantly got into trouble because his issued rifle barrel had rust pits in it. Having no use for his rifle it became upsetting for him. (His job in the UK was dealing with unexploded bombs in and around London and lifting and replacing land mines on the beaches) Hence before leaving for Italy he strung a length of rope from one end of his hut to the other and coated it in cutting compound. He then threaded the rope through his barrel and ran the barrel up and down the rope until it shone. On arriving in Italy they had a weapons inspection where his rifle was taken away from him smashed and he was issued a new one!! Apparently the rifled barrel was now a smooth bore barrel.
In 1969 I was doing my basic training. REME. Filing, drilling and chiseling, the last producing a blue left hand from repeated blows by the hammer, every time that the chisel end was missed. Worked with no end of 'skilled' people since who think that a file is just a deburring tool, and laugh when told that keyways can be produced with a chisel. Watching them try to sharpen a twist drill, you realize that their training was very limited. Now retired, I still make my own special tools as required. Still have over 50 different types if files, but now need glasses to help see when sharpening drills. Dinosaur.
Hmmm! So the job the army gave him was the appropriate one for him, right?
@daniel watson We were supposed to pour hot water down the barrel on our Lee-Enfield 303 rifles for 6 days after shooting . By taken out the bolt and pouring from that end with a funnel . Then using a pull though with rag on it. The metal would , " sweat " , so the hot water would remove powder residue . It was a good gun , very accurate in the hands of an expert shooter which I was not !
"Never happened".
Now that is a funny story. Loved it, something I might have done.
As a gunsmith my self, i find it super interesting how hard all the cutting jobs were, especially deep hole drilling, when all you had was carbon steel made tools, constant reshaping, constant re hardening and resharpening just to do a simple boring job. Going from carbon steel tools to HSS was the same big leap back then as we advanced from HSS to carbide Tools.
I actually own some very good gunmaking literature from the 1950's and there is still described how to make your own rifling buttons out of carbon steel. Also the use of simple carbon steel drill bits was still the norm.
I don't know how many times I have watched this but it never gets old!
This was incredible! It will never get old watching a master work!
This was spectacular, I especially like the manner in which they demonstrate how a disciplined hand can create such beauty.
It's something you see in blade crafting, but is so frequently overlooked in machines, even hand made ones.
Wow!!! I saw this in metal shop in Junior High, many many years ago and have always wanted to see it again!!! Many thanks!
Such a beautiful craft. From the ground all the way too the gun. This video is a historical treasure
Awesome video, the multiple skills involved and the sheer volume of work involved just to make one rifle is mind blowing.
Just remember people that this process would be done over a number of days but what you don't see is the amount of time it takes just to make the tools to make the rifle, multiple files in multiple shapes and roughness, god knows how many different drill bits, as he said a few get broken with every rifle made screwdrivers chissels engraving tools, mandrill's, the rifling machine /bore drill. It's a mamouth task just making those let alone the rifle.
True craftsmanship indeed
They are few and far between
Fantastic! Seeing a talented craftsman working his skills is just amazing to watch. Building a fully functioning and accurate rifle from a pile of metal and a plank of wood...simply staggering to consider and without the benefit of power equipment. Loved this presentation. Now, back to my comfortable shop to work on my Kibler Colonial kit...with all the hard stuff already done for me!
Utterly amazing, I am in awe at the sheer dedication to the craft.
totally amazing Craftmanship how many people nowadays have the patience and ability to do things like this ?
This was amazing! I wish I had a fraction of this guys skills. I love gunsmithing and just blows me away. Thanks for sharing this video
Wow…… wow. Incredible talent to do this. The old school gunsmith’s are just like the old school Japanese katana sword smiths 🥰 respect!! Super fascinating to watch
It's interesting how the skills involved in building a gun have changed. Things are geared in such a different manner today for mass production with intricate components. A different kind of craftsmanship, one that has to survive the leap from the tool room.
From raw iron, wood and materials to a decorative but practical and accurate firearm. So many hours of work and skill put into that rifle, its a work of art. Amazing.
A trip back in time. I am 75 years old and at the first words of the narrator knew it was David Brinkley. A great documentary.
I also inherited my father's 1836, John Selvidge, ~36cal, Cap & ball Tennessee squirrel rifle. The lock, trigger, hair trigger, are leaf springs and very similar to those from the Colonial times.
It's easy to see why a weapon like this was quite rare and expensive and completely unique. Thanks for posting this really interesting video!
@D Anemon Exactly..no Gold..Silver is 100x less expensive and was an expected decorative addition to a privately produced weapon of the time. Hammers, triggers, inlays ect. Nothing special done here.
@redneckhippiefreak i know it's not gold but he did put some silver
@theflyingfool Meh, Kinda, The French weapons brought in for the Revolution were very high quality, The Domestic ones were even nicer..We just didn't have the industry set in place to produce so many in a short time without creating a detriment to quality and durability. The thing a lot of folks forget is how important the weapon was for a settler. It was akin to a car today. Life without one could be difficult . Also, much like cars, They may look individualized and some may have more time invested in appearance and finish but overall they are the same product. A product that directly reflects their Value and Durability. Pride was taken in every step of the process so, unless it was a true POS weapon by a carpet bagger Smithy, , in which case, it is forgotten with time, left on the battlefield or tossed into the scrap heap upon failure as was the Smith/Foundry/Armory that made them.
@D Anemon lol Uhh. What Gold? That is Brass..The majority of the weapon Is Iron.. So.. Im not sure what you are referring>
@redneckhippiefreak i don't think all people had gold and iron on their muskets