Nate McKenzie, Gunmaker
February 19, 2010 by Rick Sheets
Filed under Builder
I know Nate McKenzie mainly through his work. I saw a rifle by Nate on the contemporarymakers.blogspot site last June and have been a fan ever since. Subsequently I met Nate at Dixon’s Gun Makers Fair in Kempton, Pennsylvania last year and found him to be very well spoken on the subject of the longrifle and gun making. I understand from Nate that he has attended Dixon’s every year to take seminars and to soak-up everything he can to advance his skill as a gunmaker.
Nate McKenzie at the 18th Century Artisan Show 2010
Nate McKenzie began his interest in muzzle loading guns when he was given his grandfathers cut down M 1842 Civil War musket at the age of eight. He has since restored this musket and it still has an honored place in his collection. He built his first long rifle at the age of twenty-two and it hangs over the stone fireplace in his log home today. I have included pictures of Nate’s first build in this article. He has come a long way, but his first flintlock has a folksy charm of its own and has a lot of artistic merit.
Since retiring in 2004 he has been steadily building rifles, smooth bores, powder horns, and wing bone turkey calls. Nate also does restoration work on old rifles and muskets. He has worked on guns for the Luzerne County Pennsylvania historical society and the Montour County Pennsylvania Historical Society. His work was well received at the Eighteenth Century Artisans Show in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Nate also does Revolutionary War, Civil War, and WWII living history programs for schools, historical societies and other organizations. He is a life member of the NRA and a member of the CLA.
As a full-time artisan, Nate takes on commissioned work.
Nate’s contact information is on his website, please click here.
Thanks for reading,
Rick Sheets
To see a larger version of the following pictures, just click on them
 Nate's First Rifle - Cheek Side |
|
 Two Lehighs and a Christian Spring rifle. Patch Box Side |
 Two Lehighs and a Christian Spring rifle. Cheek Side. |
I would like to thank Rick for this fantastic web site. I like the new format.
Hello Nate,
Thanks for the compliment. I am excited about the new format as it works more like an online magazine now. I will be writing about one article per week, that is the plan anyway.
See you at Dixon’s!,
Rick
Nate just repaired my family 1820 long rifle. He provides excellent work; I would recommend him to anyone. Hugh Wilson.
Thanks Hugh. I agree that Nate’s work is first rate. Rick
Nate built a southern squirrel rifle for me this past fall. Nate does great work; this will be the rifle my Grandson inherits.
-David Robinson
Thanks Dave. I’m really glad you like your rifle. It was a pleasure building it for you. If you need another rifle or a smoothbore, please consider me as your builder.
Thanks again,
Nate
I had the good fortune of meeting Nate at the PA Outdoor Life event held at the Lycoming Mall this Spring. After looking at the rifles he had at his display, I knew that I had to take the plunge and have Nate build me a flintlock.
Picked up my .54 flinter yesterday. It was exactly what I wanted and fit like a glove. If you are entertaining having a gun constructed for yourself, you need to talk to Nate. He made it easy and spent some considerable time making sure it was exactly right. Go for it!
Nate built a wonderful fifty caliber, Upper Susquehanna flintlock rifle for a good friend last year, that’s how I became familiar with Nate and his work. The man really knows his stuff and after that day if I didn’t already have a new rifle on the way from another builder I would have been putting a deposit on a new one from Nate.
Fast forward to this year and I had Nate fix the trigger on that other rifle! He took a mediocre trigger job on a really nice rifle and made it PERFECT. Even though Nate didn’t build that gun he took the same care in making sure it worked as well as one of his own rifles……he also did some needed lock work on another custom build I have. Thank you Nate.
My friend who had the Upper Susquehanna built is already contemplating the next rifle he wants Nate to build……