Here at the Walter Cline range we are working to build restrooms that are compliant with the American with Disabilities Act. If you, a friend or loved one has a disability you can appreciate what we are doing. Even if you don’t need it, you can appreciate the substantial benefit this will make to our range and grounds. It is going to cost a sizeable chunk of change to do this project. Brent Steele, our president of the NMLRA, is doing his part by raising money. Gunmaker’s Hall is going to help too. You can do your part by purchasing tickets for the ADA Rifle Project giveaway.

Gunmaker’s Hall is building a rifle and a complete set of accoutrements for a drawing similar to the annual Gunmaker’s Hall giveaway. The proceeds will go to the NMLRA to help finance the ADA restroom project. We will have the giveaway for this gun and everything that goes with it during the September 2021 shoot at Friendship. It is a complete outfit including gun, pouch, horn, ball mold, belt axe, two knives and a hard case. A partial list of Gunmakers and artisans on the project includes Mike Miller, John Kleihege, Bill Hoover, Dennis Priddy, Larry Horrigan, Dick Miller, John Cummings, Ron Lowell, Larry Callahan, Bart Copenhaver, Jeff Luke and Benjaman Quearry. Tickets will be going on sale this month. Look to upcoming Muzzle Blasts and the NMLRA.org website for more details.

Recently we got a real boost from a great organization, the Honorable Company of Horners. Ethan Yazel had reached out to them about our ADA project and last week I got a call from John Dewald, the Guild Master for the Honorable Company of Horners. They have graciously volunteered to make a powder horn for this project and I am honored to have the HCH offer to help with our project. They already make a horn annually for the NMLRA 1 of 1000 endowment.  I encourage you to check out their website at www.hornguild.org. There is a wealth of good information on the HCH site. The craftsmanship on display and the wide range of things they make is amazing. John convinced me to join the Honorable Company of Horners. If you’re not a member you should consider joining the HCH too.

For the ADA project, four journeyman horners will be chosen to make a collaborative effort on the horn. The horn will be historically correct to match the rifle we are building for the giveaway. That gun is a Joseph Bogle. To the best of my knowledge, a post-revolutionary war piece built during the late 18th, or early 19th century in Virginia. Although it has iron furniture (typical for the region) it has Pennsylvania influences. This makes it quite interesting as a geographically transitional work.  The horn these craftsmen are making will be cherished by the winner of this giveaway. It will be a family heirloom.

You could be that winner. Buy some tickets, they will be available in this issue of Muzzle Blasts and on the NMLRA.org website. You will be helping our beloved Walter Cline range and getting a chance to winner this horn, the Bogle rifle, pouch and all its accoutrements.

Thank you, John

Benjaman Quearry

gunmakershall@gmail.com