Classic Custom Rifles, Anyone?

kigercreek · 01-18-2009, 10:32 PM

Any other afficionados of the classic custom rifles by those artists of walnut and metal out there? I've been salivating over those beautiful guns made of lovely sticks of wood by Gowdy, Grisel, Biesen, Miller as well as the "new" guys like Shane Thompson and others. (Check out Shane's new rifle in the 2009 Gun Digest...

) Everytime I go into Cabela's I head to the Gun Library to see what treat may be sitting in the rack. I had the opportunity to go through the Dakota showroom in Sturgis, SD a few years back and drool a bit over the guns designed by Don Allen. Not quite custom, but darn close! This illness began as a kid when my dad had a couple rifles made by some of the top in the field, and now this genetic affliction keeps me eyeing webpages and wearing out magazine pictorials of the greats with a chisel and file.

Someday I may own one...or at least head to Reno and handle more of the fine woodwork at the American Custom Gunmakers Guild show. But for now, I'll just keep packing my Mdl 700 Mountain Rifle, sit on a ridge, and dream...

Dan360 · 01-19-2009, 05:36 AM

I saw some of the rifles made for Jack O'Connor and they are amazing. I can't imagine taking a rifle like that in the field. Every scratch would be like a knife cutting my own skin. I already itemize the rifles I have on my homeowners insurance so I can have them replaced if I hurt them.

baltz526 · 01-19-2009, 06:37 AM

i had in my hands a 30 gibbs once at a gunshow. it should be in my safe, but i was looking for a 22-250 to replace the ruger #1 varmit i just sold.

DogZilla15 · 01-19-2009, 09:29 AM

All my rifles and shotguns wear wood. Plastic is for Corvettes...... Walnut and fine hand checkering are where it's at...

oregonmuley · 01-19-2009, 10:07 AM

I sure like the looks and the lines of a classic stock made of fine wood, I had one once but just couldn't bring myself to use it. Now all my hunting rifles are plastic - they look good in a sense but you are right not the same as a fine checkered stock. The pic you post Kiger looks nice -what rifle is that??

Don Fischer · 01-19-2009, 10:28 AM

I've never owned a stainless gun of any kind, never will. Had a Nylon 66 before a lot of you were born and now a 700 ADL, it was a gift so what do you do?

Wood and blue steel does it for me. Here's a nice one. Built By Paul Jaeger in 1945.

Still shoots better than I can. I turned down $7500 for it.

Dan360 · 01-19-2009, 10:42 AM

I have always had a spot for an African stalking rifle of some sort, but not in a heavy caliber. A nice controlled-feed action, 22 or 23 inch barrel with express sights and barrel mounted sling swivel, a fine walnut stock with ebony fore-end and grip caps, a steel or skeleton butt pad for quick mounting. It would probably have to be chambered in something like 7x57 or 8x57.

kigercreek · 01-19-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oregonmuley

I sure like the looks and the lines of a classic stock made of fine wood, I had one once but just couldn't bring myself to use it. Now all my hunting rifles are plastic - they look good in a sense but you are right not the same as a fine checkered stock. The pic you post Kiger looks nice -what rifle is that??

That's a Bollinger. One thing he often does that I don't like is the integration of a palm-swell in the pistol grip, but his lines overall are very nice. If I was leaning to one maker right now I think I'd go with either Gary Gowdy or Shane Thompson. However, I must say that I've stared at glossy pictures of what I thought was an ultimate rifle or two over the years, only to be disheartened when I saw the gun in person...not as "petite" or surprisingly poor wood to metal fit...or checkering over runs. That being said, I'd shop around before making the final decision on a stockmaker.

Here's a better view of that rifle in my sig line.

Crayfin · 01-19-2009, 12:01 PM

Man...that is pretty

oregonmuley · 01-19-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kigercreek

That's a Bollinger. One thing he often does that I don't like is the integration of a palm-swell in the pistol grip, but his lines overall are very nice. If I was leaning to one maker right now I think I'd go with either Gary Gowdy or Shane Thompson. However, I must say that I've stared at glossy pictures of what I thought was an ultimate rifle or two over the years, only to be disheartened when I saw the gun in person...not as "petite" or surprisingly poor wood to metal fit...or checkering over runs. That being said, I'd shop around before making the final decision on a stockmaker.

Here's a better view of that rifle in my sig line.

Thanks for the bigger picture - thats a nice rifle for sure. I don't think I'd be ashamed at all to carry that.
Thanks - I think we can all agree that would be a "classic" I like it

ehunter · 01-19-2009, 12:49 PM

I am going to bite I have no sense of art in my body to me a gun is a tool and I am getting more and more partial to plastic than wood. I don't go on guided hunts where the look of the gun is important every thing is DYI and that means I bang the crud out of my stocks.

I will say this that is a nice looking gun but I couldn't hunt with it

.

Don tell me you don't actually hunt with that gun do you?

Don Fischer · 01-19-2009, 12:56 PM

I don't know if anyone knows it or not but Biesen's shop is still open for business. His son is building the rifles. I saw the site a while back and those rifles are works of art!

kigercreek · 01-19-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Fischer

I don't know if anyone knows it or not but Biesen's shop is still open for business. His son is building the rifles. I saw the site a while back and those rifles are works of art!

You're right, they are. I had the opportunity to handle a couple of his rifles at Cabela's in Boise this past spring. I believe his granddaughter is the one doing the checkering, too.

Speaking of female checkerers (if that's what they're called...hmm...) there are several gals doing this on fine rifles, and I believe two of them are in Oregon. Checkering has definitely improved over the years.

For those of you in Central Oregon, one of the top makers lives in Redmond, Kent Bowerly, who's works have graced the pages of Gun Digest, as well as being the annual auction rifle at the ACGG show. Also, Pete Grisel, now in Milton-Freewater I believe, was instrumental in helping create Dakota Arms. Having grown up around Adel, he, too, was once working out of Bend in the early 80's doing stock and metal work. He is known as a master of the CNC, and even made optical surgical instruments for awhile, from what I've read.

billc_sbio · 01-19-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kigercreek

Speaking of female checkerers (if that's what they're called...hmm...) there are several gals doing this on fine rifles, and I believe two of them are in Oregon. Checkering has definitely improved over the years.

When Kimber (of Oregon) first started up, they just took several women applicants and TRAINED them to be Checkerers. I'm not sure who their trainer was, but many of them sure learned to do some beautiful work.

Initially they worked at Kimber's shop, but eventually they let them work out of their homes (and probably get paid by the piece).

After Kimber folded, I remember seeing some of these gals who would work out of various gun shop's booths at the Sportsmen's Show, displaying how they worked.

A few of them took up doing custom checkering as their main business and I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't some of them still in this area doing it?

kigercreek · 01-19-2009, 06:08 PM

That makes complete sense about Kimber and the gals doing checkering. I'd not considered that. I got to slip into the Kimber plant when I was in high school when it was located in Clackamas, and met the manager, Ted Curtis, who gave a tour of sorts...kind of a warehouse, from what I recall. They've had an interesting history, in which Cooper rifles share some of its roots.