The Freund Brothers, Frank W. and George were skilled German gunsmiths who plied their trade on the Western American frontier during the final three decades of the nineteenth century.

Beginning at Nebraska City near the Missouri River -one of the jumping off points for frontier emigrants leaving the "States" - the Freunds followed the sun westward along the tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad, toward their ultimate destiny as pioneer gunmakers to the West.

Along the way they set up temporary tent stores in such hell-roaring end-of-track camps as Julesburg, Bear River City, and Corinne, in the young territories of Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, before establishing permanent locations in Denver, Durango, and Cheyenne.

In addition to the Old World-quality gunsmithing and engraving work, the brothers also modified Sharps and other rifles with their patented "Freund's Improved" breechblock action, and took out U. S. patents on a number of other inventions including the famed "More Light" rifle sight, a pocket knife-fuse cutter for miners, and a novel decorative spoon design.

This, then, is the tale not only of gunsmiths Frank and George Freund, and their products, but of Manifest Destiny and the great post-Civil War migration that created the West as we know it today. The Freunds story is one of triumph and failure, of intriguing people and challenging times-the story of Pioneer Gunmakers to the West. Hardcover, 380 pages, black and white photos and illustrations, 8 pages of color photos.

The Table of Contents includes the following:

• Chapter 1 The Early Years
• Chapter 2 The Railroad Years
• Chapter 3 The Denver Years
• Chapter 4 The Cheyenne Years
• Chapter 5 The New Jersey Years
• Chapter 6 The Durango Years
• Chapter 7 The Freund Patents
• Chapter 8 The Freund Rifles
• Chapter 9 The Freund Sights
• Chapter 10 The Court Cases
• Chapter 11 The Freund Catalogs
• Chapter 12 The Surviving Specimens
• Appendix I Endorsements
• Appendix II Freund Family Tree
• Index

ISBN:1-882824-13-X