The guy I sold the Dakota to didn't remember telling me he would sell to back to me for the same price~~~

quote:

Originally posted by squeezenhope:
How many gunsmiths have built themselves a personal rifle and then sold it to a customer??
Time to fess up.

I thought this was part of the final examination.
That you aren't a proper gunsmith until this has happened.

I can post 2 of Beitzingers personal rifles.

VZ33 270 and Mauser in 243.



Cargnel did the woodchuck on this one. The first time he did a woodcock. George called him and said "woodchuck not woodcock" , Geno said "woodchuck woodcock what ever."

Many gunsmith's rifles are distinguished by being half done.
Customer work comes first and no end to it.

I bought an Ottmar rifle from a gunshop in Mount Vernon Washington that I can't remember the name of. It was in the white, and the owner had got it from Ottmar 30 years prior and never done anything with it.

I brought it home to Wyoming and went on cruise on the USS Enterprise and it sat in my Dad's safe for 12 years with no finish. I think I hunted with it but never killed anything with it. I got married and needed money, and my dad sold it for me. I think he got 1/3rd of what I paid for it. $1000 or so. Money is a terrible problem when you have fine guns and no money.

That was probably Kesselring's (sp) Gun Shop. I remember it as having a large inventory of used guns. I knew Maurice Ottmar well and am a big fan of his custom work. He was very innovative in an otherwise incestuous stylistic arena. His rifles broke the mold of the American classic custom bolt rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by SDH:
This one shows my proprietary trigger guard and bench made trigger (Farqylike).
favorite Block Management Unit for pronghorn.

SDH, that underlever and trigger guard and trigger treatment put the stock Dakota Model 10 utterly to shame.

Thanks Michael, The Dakota 10 guards are pitiful. I spent a lot of time making and fitting the original guard. Then I had to enlarge it by 3% for casting shrinkage. I had a mold made for investment casting. Ten guards were cast and I fit three to rifles and sold a few. I also benchmade new triggers and contour shaped the lever. One reject guards is the screen door handle of my shop. When Martin developed the small size Hagn action I quit using Dakotas because the Hagn action is so superior. These Dakotas looked great with the mods and were Very accurate.

Small Hagn Actioned 7x57 by Jerry Fisher, Barry Lee Hands engraving.

Another Dakota .257Roberts with trigger/guard Mods. Steven Dodd Hughes, Gunmaker Michael Dubber, Engraver.
Front of lever and forend #10. This rifle completed in January 2008.

Man those custom single shots are svelte and sexy!

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Man those custom single shots are svelte and sexy!

Absolutely.

Not to get off topic, but does anybody know if production of Martin Hagn's splendid falling block action will continue now that he has left us?

Ive seen a lot of good gunsmith using trade ins of all manor, ask them why? some of the best said I make them to sell, I use whats laying around the shop! Makes since to me..

At least for the time being Ralph Martini has taken over production. He's finishing up two actions I had ordered from Martin before he passed. I hope he's able to continue the legacy into the future.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Man those custom single shots are svelte and sexy!

Absolutely.

Not to get off topic, but does anybody know if production of Martin Hagn's splendid falling block action will continue now that he has left us?

Thanks, Matthew. If Mr. Martini continues building the Hagn actions, it will be good news for single shot rifle fans.

quote:

Originally posted by MNR:
At least for the time being Ralph Martini has taken over production. He's finishing up two actions I had ordered from Martin before he passed. I hope he's able to continue the legacy into the future.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Man those custom single shots are svelte and sexy!

Absolutely.

Not to get off topic, but does anybody know if production of Martin Hagn's splendid falling block action will continue now that he has left us?

You can get them from Hartmann and Weiss. They probably build more of them than Hagn or Martini ever did.