TOAD HALL RIFLESHOP
One of my "fancy" East Tennessee style Southern mountain rifles with a poured pewter nose cap.
My little rifleshop is located amid the rolling and fertile fields of central Iowa. We fondly call this corner of Iowa, "Corn Patch". I am now retired from building rifles on a commercial basis. The old hands are just not what they used to be and seem to mind like a wayward child. So, education has became my primary focus and there are a couple more books in the works. Reckon, I'll keep my hand in for myself, family, and helpin' friends, though.
Even though my apprentice program has terminated, I am still offering FREE nightly classes, Monday thru Thursday, to the general public on how to construct traditional American style flintlock and percussion firearms and helping them travel that long, rocky road. Someone's always in the shop, and since it's free, why isn't it you? I no longer offer a complete, formal apprenticeship program, but will teach you on specific aspects on some parts of the arts and mysteries of the craft. Got Moon Pies?
Want to hand rifle your own barrel on a traditional wooden rifling bench with left-hand twist? You can hammer out your own rifle furniture in the smithy if you desire. How about copying one of my trademark brass-tailed locks (they're being copied by a lot of other makers, anyways) or maybe with Sterling or German silver instead? Perhaps some hand forged, double-set triggers to give your rifle a very distinctive look? Maybe a two piece butt plate that's been copper brazed? Catch your eye? Then set back, open up a Guinness an' browse the site. Enjoy yourself, both in the shop and on this little website....I often type in my "Iowegian" dialect....just like I talk!
Please be patient if some of the pages load slowly. Often there are more photos per page than what the program recommends. BUT....the wait will be worth it. If it ain't, drop me a line and tell me, please.
Steve Bookout, Master
P.S., My name ain't Toad or Mr. Hall. "Toad Hall" is just the name of the home place. It comes from the children's book Wind In The Willows.
"Keeping The Art Of The Longrifle Alive!"
"A man without a hog-rifle is like a man without a life!" Dave Case
"Here's to a long shot and a dead hog!" A toast by Flintman Bill
"In a few more decades all the mountain riflesmiths will have passed on to the better world, and they will be only a memory like the pioneer, the buffalo and passenger pigeon, and the world will have lost more of the old-time geniuses." Capt. Ned Roberts
"No free man shall ever be
debarred the use of arms."
Thomas Jefferson
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the
right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against
tyranny in government."
Thomas Jefferson
My genuine, honest-to-God, Hacker Martin hand made flint lock. Click your mouse on it to enlarge the image.
Buildin' Since 1974
UPDATED: 26 May, 2009
Issue No. 65
Toad Hall News
FOR SALE! Toad Hall has a few copies of A Wooden Iowa Rifling Bench that have minor water damage sustained after some heavy rains earlier this year. The water damage has proven to be some lightly wrinkled pages or perhaps some minor discoloration on the back cover. None are seriously damaged and the books themselves are sound. I offer these very few copies at half price while they last. So if you are looking for a fair bargain, this is it. Price is $10, plus the regular $5 Priority Mail postage. And as always, each has my money back guarantee.
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Well, I screwed up again department: A tip o' the hat to Mr. Bob Patrick for letting us know there was still a typo in the second edition of "A Wooden Iowa Rifling Bench". You will find the correction to this by navigating to Book #2.
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TRIVIA: Did you know that copies of my little rifler have been built in Canada, Taiwan, Macedonia, Singapore, England, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, as well as in quite a few states here in America?
Didya know: Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist".
"Suppose you
were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....
But then I repeat myself."
-Mark Twain
"Life
is tough...it's even tougher if you're stupid!" - John Wayne
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Always Wanted: I've been studying the articles about, and the letters & articles written by the late Hacker Martin for several years now. There's quite a bit of material in my file from about 1940 to date, but am always on the lookout for other paper and artifacts that I do not have. Please contact me if you have something that may be of interest to me.
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Toad Hall Rifleshop
1600 W. 14th St. S.
Newton, Iowa 50208
USA
(641) 792-2941
email: toadhall@pcpartner.net
No calls after 9 PM, or Sundays & Holidays, please!
Clapton was here.
Eastwood was here.
Bevel Brothers were here.
Site published: 14 APR 00
I reserve the moral right to be known as the author of what's on this website unless indicated differently. Some material is COPYRIGHTED. Should you desire to use something from my website, please ask me!
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