Ian,

You might try contacting modern day gunsmiths who make reproduction 18th
century firearms.  There are a number of these individuals around the
country who specialize in producing hand-made flintlock rifles and
smoothbores, and many use some or all the technology used in the 18th
century.  Through their own research, they may be able to point you in
the right direction.  One individual I'm thinking of is a gentleman in
Kentucky named Hershel House, who has produced and hosted a series of
videos on the building of a Pennsylvania rifle from scratch, using (I
believe) only the technology of the 18th century American gunsmith.
I've never seen the videos, but I'm told that he cuts and shapes the
stock by hand from a maple plank, and forges and rifles the barrell by
hand, plus the lock and all the hardware.

I could probably come up with other names if you want to contact me
off-list.


Kris Farmen
Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
Fairbanks, Alaska