I was looking around at the Guns International site and stumbled upon the .416 Rigby that Fisher-Heilmann & Hands built around 2012. There are several very good pics of the gun being built. Some good history on the gun in the description. https://www.gunsinternational....cfm?gun_id=101802329

Been on there quite awhile. Heilmann recently passed away.

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Originally posted by bghntr416:
Been on there quite awhile. Heilmann recently passed away.

At $99,500.

Yes you read that right 500 dollars short of a hundred thousand.

It is going to sit for away.

Just think how many Rugers you could buy for that!

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Originally posted by gunmaker:
Just think how many Rugers you could buy for that!

Don't have to think very hard to know that it would be.

Lots Buy, customized put the best scopes and barrels if needed

And have many rifles that well do the job just as well maybe better.

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Originally posted by p dog shooter:
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And have many rifles that well do the job just as well maybe better.

I hope you enjoy your public pension, healthcare, steady paychecks while you were on the job IIRC as law enforcement. As I lived in Wisconsin and paid taxes there, I know that there's a great amount of benefits for public employees. I'm not saying that's wrong, just a fact. Now Steven Heilman and Jerry Fisher passed a way recently and their widows are trying their best to liquidate the assets their husbands created to get by. These two gunmakers were at the top of their game for decades and were some of the very few that did this as their main source of income. Two of the best in the world. Over their lifetime careers, they had to pay all their expenses which can be staggering when putting pen to paper as well as paying their own health insurance, retirement, dental, vision, legal, (no qualified immunity for gunmakers) etc. Not a big fat paycheck leftover in the end. They didn't do this for their lifetime for a fat paycheck, they did it because they loved what they could do with a piece of steel and walnut and were the best at it. Their clients also loved what they could create as well and were happy to keep them busy creating works of art you can't find at your local gun store. Their work will be highly prized for hundreds of years. Rugers and Savages, not so much. Nothing wrong with shooting those, just not quite Custom Built Rifle forum material.

I still don't know if the above linked rifle was a spec rifle, or one that the client didn't pay the bill when it was done. This could be for a truckload of reasons. Death, divorce, bad investment, etc. It would be pretty hard to "eat" a rifle like that where you were looking for a paycheck at the end of the project. And, now the widows are just looking to survive.

Your snide comment about $500 short of $100K lacks a little taste and respect for those intimately involved. The $100K is already a discount for all those involved.

It would be interesting to hear the story behind this rifle. Thankful that some pictures were included of the build. Obviously this is a no expense spared deal. I can't imagine it being built on spec???? I just noticed that it shows a build date of 2012..more questions.

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Now Steven Heilman and Jerry Fisher passed a way recently and their widows are trying their best to liquidate the assets their husbands created to get by

Then buy the rifle at the stated price to help them out.

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I hope you enjoy your public pension, healthcare, steady paychecks while you were on the job IIRC as law enforcement. As I lived in Wisconsin and paid taxes there, I know that there's a great amount of benefits for public employees. I'm not saying that's wrong, just a fact.

I hope you enjoy your life as a gunmaker.

People make career choices all the time.

If that choice doesn't support them. They can always change careers.

The story behind the rifle is that it was a joint venture between the craftsmen for a book that unfortunately was never written. There was however a very nice series of articles written in The Gunmaker (the ACGG magazine) about the project starting several years ago when Jerry passed. It's a spec rifle.
As for price, I don't begrudge anyone for sticking with their modified off-the-shelf rifles (I've got a few myself), but this is obviously in a different class all together. The epitome of American custom gunmaking by it's top craftsmen. Two of which are recently deceased. It may take a long time to sell or may not fetch the full price, but that's not because it's not worth every penny. Spec rifles are just more difficult to sell.

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It may take a long time to sell or may not fetch the full price, but that's not because it's not worth every penny. Spec rifles are just more difficult to sell.

It is like many custom items.

People tend to want the custom item to be built to their specs not someone else's.

Custom houses, custom cars, custom yachts, custom MC's.

They all can really well built, really neat, cost a whole lot of money to built.

But they hardly ever bring the cost of building them.

Because they are the dream of the guy the had them build.

Superb rifle!

I wish the seller would post more detailed photos of the finished product.

The only questions about something as fine as this rifle should be “Do I want it?” and “Can I afford it?”

To any knowledgeable gun person with good taste, the question “Is it worth it?” is ridiculous.

This rifle appears to be equal if not superior to the "Big Five" rifles that SCI auctioned off years ago. Those rifles brought big bucks. I wonder if the current owners could work a deal whereby they were assured of a reserve amount and the seller, say SCI or WSF would benefit from any difference?

I imagine it is superior to any “London Best” 416 ever produced. The Brits often turn their noses up a yank rifles, but they might to acknowledge this one’s high mark of have excellence.

It just never ceases to amaze me how Jerry Fisher was able to do arguable his best work, very late in his career. To have the drive and passion to work at that level after so many years and so many stocks in just incredible. Not to even mention working with the inevitable decline of fine motor skills, dexterity, and vision that naturally comes with age. Just an incredible craftsman. And judging by the picture, he did it without even getting his shirt dirty.

Incredible rifle. Out of my League, but I hope whoever ends up with it gets many years of enjoyment out of owning it.

John

I the later years Jerry always said he was, "Slowing down", but you are correct, his quality only minimally diminished, if at all and the sophistication increased.
This Small size Hagn action in 7x57,completed in the last few years in Bigfork.
Oct brl by Martini, engraving by Barry Hands



As well made as any Fisher Rifle.
My favorite Fisher quote, "I don't do anything half-assed".

Jerry almost always wore a Lab Coat while working in the shop and was the first time I visited him in Kalispell in 1977. The photo of him in the shop in shirt sleeves is rare.

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Originally posted by SDH:


Jerry almost always wore a Lab Coat while working in the shop and was the first time I visited him in Kalispell in 1977. The photo of him in the shop in shirt sleeves is rare.

If the subject rifle was being built for an article then the picture may well have been staged. The clean shirt just stood out me because I can't seem to get within 100 feet of my shop without getting covered in whatever I am working on at the time. Been that way since I was a kid.

John

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Originally posted by gasgunner:
If the subject rifle was being built for an article then the picture may well have been staged. ....
John

The stock in the duplicator isn't the one in the finished pic. Pretty plain piece for Jerry. Could be a pattern making a better pattern???

Pretty astounding work by all....I'm especially appreciative of Steve's barrel work..Tree top talent there and will be a long time anyone comes close.

Gotta make one comment that I hope is accepted in the spriit given. My OPINION.. what it's worth...just too much gold!

Kinda tricks the eye to overlooking the flawless form...Certainly not a critic of Barry's work....most likely a committee decision.

Would I love to own it..YBYSA!

I like the gold!