Few men have had as large an effect on the muzzleloading sport as Wallace Gusler. To many he is the man in “the video” who makes a rifle from a skelp of iron, a plank of maple, and a bucket of scrap brass. Wallace Gusler made the video as the first full-time master of the Williamsburg Gun Shop. His influence doesn’t stop there. Since then his research and writing have added to our understanding of colonial firearms.
I first met Wallace at the Seminars in Bowling Green in the late ’80s. I have had occasion to learn from him numerous times since then. I never stop at his booth without learning something. I had the chance to tape the panel discussion in which he participated at GunMakers’ Hall at Friendship. (Parts 1-6 of the interview are located on another page of this site.)
As wide as Wallace’s interests are he still finds time to make beautiful guns. Some are shown in “Three Centuries of the Tradition” in which he also shared in the writing.
I am pleased to be able to add Wallace’s interview to this site.