Fred Stuzenberger, a prolific writer and builder of Flintlock Arms

Fred Stuzenberger has published approximately 300 articles on the history and construction of muzzleloading arms in periodicals such as Muzzle Blasts, Muzzleloader, The Accurate Rifle, Precision Shooting and The Gun Digest. So you are familiar with his writing, but you might forget that he is a very good builder of flintlock arms. Here is a reminder of Fred’s skill as a gunsmith and a few facts that I bet you don’t know.

Fred Stuzenberger at Rendezvous

Fred’s Southern Muzzleloaders is not so much a business as it is an educational entity dedicated to information on the construction and use of muzzleloading firearms.  Occasionally a rifle or pistol that has been produced during the development of an article is sold to a private buyer or donated for public display. Sometimes, a rifle is built on request from a government agency, for example, the rifle built for the National Park Service’s Living History Program at the King’s Mountain National Military Park.

Fred has organized seminars through local muzzleloading chapters to demonstrate specific techniques useful in the building of muzzleloaders He has had 27 years in active Scouting and occasionally gives demonstrations of safe firearm use to Boy Scout troops and church groups.  From time to time, students interested in the history and construction of muzzleloaders visit with Fred and receive instruction or materials for building their own muzzleloader.

Fred’s professional career as a research professor in Microbiology and Molecular Medicine has spanned 45 years across three continents. He is a life member of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society and the National Geographic Society. Currently, he is a staff writer for Muzzleloader magazine and a member of the National Rifle Association.

When Fred is not building or writing, he enjoys other activities such as his daily swim, hiking, restoring old original cabins, writing rhyming poetry and experimental bread baking.

Fred Stuzenberger Teaching Scouts

I for one want to thank Fred for sharing his building techniques, scholarship and  research through his writing on our great black powder hobby.

Thanks for reading,
Rick Sheets

Here are the pictures of his guns as promised.
Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Thanks again.

King's Mountain Rifle and Horn by Fred. Scrimshaw by LaMar Wilson, Shelby NC. Bag by Gary Winkel, Rock Hill, SC.

Fred Stuzenberger Armstrong Patchbox

Fred Stuzenberger Rifle Cheekside

Fred Stuzenberger Iron Patchbox. Rifle and Horn by Fred. Scrimshaw by LaMar Wilson, Shelby NC. Bag by Gary Winkel, Rock Hill, SC.