february 2025 Gunmakers Hall report
Greetings From Indiana.
It’s been snowy and cold here. I’ve been holed up in the shop so long I’ve developed a severe case of cabin fever. While I was working in the shop last week, avoiding the cold weather and staying close to the woodstove, Brent Steele stopped by. Brent is a Board of Directors’ member, a past NMLRA president, former member of the Indiana State Senate, and a shotgun savant. He and his brother Byron have done a great deal over the years to support the NMLRA. You can learn a lot about shotguns, new and old, from either one of them. Brent and I had a great time examining an original shot pouch with a clever adjustable spout, and an old percussion shotgun I had purchased from Dick Chubb in September. Brent was able to make out that it had “William Moore, London, Laminated Steel” engraved on the rib. I really enjoy looking at old guns, there is so much you can learn from them. Seeing an old gun up close gives you a feel for the way things were meant to be. The lock, the shape of the hammer, the engraving, how the checkering was done, the shape of the wrist and forearm, all these things can give you an education. I encourage you to look at all the old guns you can, whether in person, at a show, or in a museum.
The February thaw should be coming along right about now. Around here it’s usually a week or so of warmer weather, around the middle of February. It’s a good time to get out and shake off that cabin fever. If it warms up enough, I’m planning to get out to the forge behind the shop. I’ve been working on melting brass and casting some brass gun components. If I can get the details worked out, we will do a brass casting demonstration at Gunmaker’s Hall during the spring shoot on the Walter Cline range in Friendship, Indiana.
Whether we have a thaw and it warms up or not, get out and do some shooting. I don’t care if the little pasture poodle saw his shadow on Ground Hog’s day or not, winter shooting can be a lot of fun. Snow and cold didn’t hold our forefathers back. If was snowing, they still needed to eat, they still needed to defend their homes. Battles in the 18th and 19th century, that were settled with swords, tomahawks and muzzleloaders still raged during the rain and snow. Winter will end at some point, but until then, keep your powder dry and keep shooting.
Morgan Priddy has been having some fun winning matches in the snow up in Michigan. Shooting against male competitors on January fifth, she won two of three matches. All of these matches were in the men’s class - that girl can shoot! That also means she knows what makes a muzzleloader work, and how to make it work well. The girl is a shooter, yes, and also a gun maker.
We are fortunate to have Morgan build the 2025 Incentive Gun for the NMLRA Gunmaker’s Hall Giveaway. This is the first time a woman has made a gun for the Gunmaker’s Hall Giveaway. Remember, this woman is highly skilled, and a competitive shooter too. She is also the granddaughter of master gunmaker Dennis Priddy. So yeah, she has mad skills. The gun she made for us has a 42-inch by 13/16-inch octagonal barrel, in .45 caliber (A caliber good for hunting and target work). It has a right-handed Siler percussion lock, with a drum & nipple, and a single trigger. The stock is ash wood, with a 13-1/2-inch length of trigger pull. Dennis said they made it for the common man and everyday shooter. The 2025 Incentive gun Morgan made is a good one, for both the shooter, and hunter. All you have to do to win this fine gun that Morgan made is to buy some tickets. The $50 ticket purchase options will give you 25 chances to win Morgan’s gun. If you don’t win her gun, those tickets will be put in the drawing for the rest of the giveaway prizes. That’s a pretty good deal for a once in a lifetime competitive rifle.
That rifle Morgan made is only one of the many things we have in this year’s Gunmaker’s Hall Giveaway. Master gunmaker Dick Miller has also made a rifle for the giveaway. I’ll have more details on it next month. Along with the two muzzle loading rifles we have a powder horn, a shooting pouch, a hunting knife, and a hand-made quilt for prizes.
All you have to do to win these great prizes is to buy some tickets. By purchasing Gunmaker’s Hall Giveaway tickets you get a chance to win, and you support the NMLRA and Gunmaker’s Hall. That is a definite win.
If you, your company, or someone you know would like to contribute an appropriate prize item for our drawing, or simply make a donation to Gunmaker’s Hall, please contact me at gunmakershall@nmlra.org or call the NMLRA office at 812-432-2670. Donations are greatly appreciated by myself, the Gunmaker’s Hall Committee, and the NMLRA.
The schedule of ticket prices for the drawing will remain the same as last year: one ticket for $5, 3 tickets for $10, eight tickets for $20, and 25 tickets for $50. Those who subscribe to the $50 option will have their tickets held separate and entered first into the drawing for Morgan Priddy’s Incentive Gun. After the Incentive Gun drawing, all tickets will be brought together for the main drawing featuring Dick Miller’s longrifle, the pouch, horn, and other prizes. You can purchase tickets at Gunmaker’s Hall during the national shoots, in the magazine, and on the NMLRA website, nmlra.org. You may copy tickets printed from the magazine and the web, but please make sure the size stays the same. When you cut out the tickets, please trim them to size. When you put your contact information on the ticket, please put your NMLRA member number on there too. Tickets will be printed the month this article appears and each month until the August issue. Send your tickets and money to the NMLRA, PO Box 67, Friendship, IN 47021. You could win one of two custom long rifles or any of the other handmade items provided to our drawing. We would appreciate your support! This drawing is not valid where prohibited by law.
I’ll see you at the Hall.
Benjaman Quearry
gunmakershall@nmlra.org
For more information and printable tickets - click here.