Tell me about Jerry Fisher

20 July 2020, 23:00

I have been offered a collection of Jerry Fisher rifles from a gentleman in Colorado. I am new to the higher end custom builders.
Tell me about Jerry Fisher...

Thanks

20 July 2020, 23:46

RogersGunWorks

Jerry Fisher is about as well known as any custom stockmaker in the US. He's been at it for more than 50 years and has been called the Dean of American Gunsmiths. He is now in his 80s. His work is peerless and absolutely first class. I am fortunate to know Jerry and he is a fine gentleman. Sight unseen, I would no reservations about recommending anything he has built. To be as good as Jerry Fisher is what the rest of us stockmakers aspire to be.

Look at his rifles for sale on www.gunsinternational.com and www.hallowell.com and you see his used rifles sell for much more than seemingly equal quality work from others.

20 July 2020, 23:55

AnotherAZWriter

Dogcat:

No offense, but you have not read either of Jim Carmichel's books, have you? You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts.

21 July 2020, 00:03

butchlambert

I do not have any of Jerry's work, but have visited with him a few times lately. He is a very fine gentleman.

21 July 2020, 01:18

dogcat

quote:
Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Dogcat:

No offense, but you have not read either of Jim Carmichel's books, have you? You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts.

I have not read Carmichael. I will get a couple of his books. I am not very familiar with him.

21 July 2020, 01:25

butchlambert

quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
quote:
Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Dogcat:

No offense, but you have not read either of Jim Carmichel's books, have you? You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts.

I have not read Carmichael. I will get a couple of his books. I am not very familiar with him.

And I thought you were a gun guy.

21 July 2020, 01:27

dogcat

Slowly getting there....

According to my wife, I know too much...

21 July 2020, 02:43

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

The late Jack O'Connor was a very popular shooting editor for Outdoor Life Magazine. He was above all a marvelous story teller, avid hunter and gun savvy.

He always had an eye out for promising gunmaking talent and he featured Al Biesen, Dale Goens, Jerry Fisher and others in his columns.

I;m sicking my neck out a bit, but he was most likely the single diving force in fine gun and custom gun appreciation.

Upon retirement, Jim Carmichel took over the position and tried to keep the "ball rolling. Jim was perhaps more technological minded than even O'Conner and his knowledge shared in his books are to be sought out and treasured

My understanding is that columns on individual gunmakers did not generate advertising dollars, so the emphasis on new talent took a back seat.

Stuart Williams (Guns Magazine) did plenty of fine writing about custom guns and Steve Hughes is one of the latest writers that's featuring custom guns and their makers

The work of all these men and many others, I don't have to room to mention are "require reading" for anyone with an interest in fine guns and custom guns

21 July 2020, 02:58

AnotherAZWriter

quote:
Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
The late Jack O'Connor was a very popular shooting editor for Outdoor Life Magazine. He was above all a marvelous story teller, avid hunter and gun savvy.

He always had an eye out for promising gunmaking talent and he featured Al Biesen, Dale Goens, Jerry Fisher and others in his columns.

I;m sicking my neck out a bit, but he was most likely the single diving force in fine gun and custom gun appreciation.

Upon retirement, Jim Carmichel took over the position and tried to keep the "ball rolling. Jim was perhaps more technological minded than even O'Conner and his knowledge shared in his books are to be sought out and treasured

My understanding is that columns on individual gunmakers did not generate advertising dollars, so the emphasis on new talent took a back seat.

Stuart Williams (Guns Magazine) did plenty of fine writing about custom guns and Steve Hughes is one of the latest writers that's featuring custom guns and their makers

The work of all these men and many others, I don't have to room to mention are "require reading" for anyone with an interest in fine guns and custom guns

"You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts."

Example above. Carmichel mentions Duane here:

Modern Rifle, pages 305,306,307,314-315,316

Book of the Rifle, pages 89-90,112,113

Well put Duane; Carmichel is probably the only big time hunting writer to grace the cover of the now defunct "Precision Shooting" magazine wearing a shooting jacket. He not only wrote about hunting and guns, but competed extensively in a variety of disciplines from BR to 1000 yard prone. Friends tell me he is quite the shotgun master as well.

21 July 2020, 03:13

squeezenhope

Ross, you cannot own a collection of Fishers AND a Blazer. Sorry, that is just the way it is.

21 July 2020, 03:20

Rockdoc

quote:
Originally posted by squeezenhope:
Ross, you cannot own a collection of Fishers AND a Blazer. Sorry, that is just the way it is.

21 July 2020, 03:30

dogcat

quote:
Originally posted by squeezenhope:
Ross, you cannot own a collection of Fishers AND a Blazer. Sorry, that is just the way it is.

That hurts.... I am still a padawan learner...

Give me time, Obi-wan, and I too will become a Jedi....

As to the Blaser, it is an intellectual pursuit.. How could Rigby go thru all of the disasters, even with Boddington's help, and now are owner by Blaser???? Seems the Rigby and Mauser folks must like the Blaser....

Honestly, I am having fun learning about all of this as I am late in the game getting started. So, I appreciate the patience and help from all.

21 July 2020, 03:36

Duane Wiebe (CG&R)

There IS merit to homework

21 July 2020, 05:43

Hannay

Here's a 2003 article by Dave Petzal on Jerry Fisher:

https://www.fieldandstream.com...her-master-gunmaker/

21 July 2020, 07:31

lindy2

quote:
Stuart Williams (Guns Magazine) did plenty of fine writing about custom guns

I was very sad when Guns Magazine stopped publishing Custom Gun articles by Stuart Williams. I saved many of those issues and still go back and read them to this day.

21 July 2020, 17:07

AnotherAZWriter

Tom Turpin (T2) used to post on AR once in a while. He wrote about custom guns and took some very excellent photos. I bought a shotgun from him.

21 July 2020, 18:27

pacecars

I have never owned a Fisher rifle but of all the reading about him and the photos of his work I will say that his stocks are some of the (if not the most) beautiful stocks by anyone

21 July 2020, 18:42

butchlambert

quote:
Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Tom Turpin (T2) used to post on AR once in a while. He wrote about custom guns and took some very excellent photos. I bought a shotgun from him.

You are right about Tom. I bought a set of French walnut for my Hyper Single from Tom. Wood was beautiful and priced right.
I will be talking to Jerry a little later today.

21 July 2020, 19:22

butchloc

owning blaser prevents you from even mentioning jerry fishers name

21 July 2020, 19:26

bwanamrm

I miss Tom's posts on AR. He was an invaluable contributor to this site.

21 July 2020, 19:39

butchlambert

quote:
Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
quote:
Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
The late Jack O'Connor was a very popular shooting editor for Outdoor Life Magazine. He was above all a marvelous story teller, avid hunter and gun savvy.

He always had an eye out for promising gunmaking talent and he featured Al Biesen, Dale Goens, Jerry Fisher and others in his columns.

I;m sicking my neck out a bit, but he was most likely the single diving force in fine gun and custom gun appreciation.

Upon retirement, Jim Carmichel took over the position and tried to keep the "ball rolling. Jim was perhaps more technological minded than even O'Conner and his knowledge shared in his books are to be sought out and treasured

My understanding is that columns on individual gunmakers did not generate advertising dollars, so the emphasis on new talent took a back seat.

Stuart Williams (Guns Magazine) did plenty of fine writing about custom guns and Steve Hughes is one of the latest writers that's featuring custom guns and their makers

The work of all these men and many others, I don't have to room to mention are "require reading" for anyone with an interest in fine guns and custom guns

"You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts."

Example above. Carmichel mentions Duane here:

Modern Rifle, pages 305,306,307,314-315,316

Book of the Rifle, pages 89-90,112,113

Well put Duane; Carmichel is probably the only big time hunting writer to grace the cover of the now defunct "Precision Shooting" magazine wearing a shooting jacket. He not only wrote about hunting and guns, but competed extensively in a variety of disciplines from BR to 1000 yard prone. Friends tell me he is quite the shotgun master as well.

Carmichel is still an active and very good AR shooter. I get almost daily emails with a little politics or jokes.

21 July 2020, 21:28

Aaron Little

I hope I’m not wrong, but I believe Mr. Echols whom post here apprenticed under him. Hopefully he can post here.

I met Jerry while I was in gunsmithing school, he took an interest in me and a project I had going on and we got to talk for a few hours. He said if he was a younger man I’d be serving an apprenticeship under him. Damn.

22 July 2020, 02:53

Huvius

Met him once at the CST gun school when I was a kid.
I think he was in the "Evolution of the Classic Gunstock" video.
Jeez... You know you are a gun dork when you have a VHS of that packed somewhere...

22 July 2020, 16:41

jens poulsen

quote:
Originally posted by butchlambert:
quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
quote:
Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Dogcat:

No offense, but you have not read either of Jim Carmichel's books, have you? You bring up names that he practically holds up there with JC himself. Some actually post on AR. I feel divine myself just seeing their posts.

I have not read Carmichael. I will get a couple of his books. I am not very familiar with him.

And I thought you were a gun guy.

Its like asking a Western buffs who haven't heard of John Wayne....Whos he??..

22 July 2020, 18:11

dogcat

Thanks for the help and the encouragement....

Still getting educated and thanks to those with actual and factual help.

24 July 2020, 07:22

Colin Masters

Ten years ago one came up in a local auction in .375 h&h. It was the finest rifle except a double I had ever touched.

I had a $1000 to my name in the world at the time, and it sold for $1100.

25 July 2020, 01:48

SDH

I'm a bit surprised that no one mentioned my book Custom Rifles In Black & White that includes several pics of a special Jerry Fisher rifle as well as many other contemporary gunmakers.

The pic below is of Jerry and me on a deer hunt near the Musselshell River outside Roundup Montana in 2007. My whitetail has a 20" spread in comparison to Jerry's 3x3 monster mule deer. There is another decent 4x4 rack between the two.

There are pics of several Fisher rifles on my website some that I have brokered in the past. From pretty much any era, Fisher Rifles have set the benchmark for quality.

My favorite Fisher quote, "I don't do anything half-assed."

25 July 2020, 06:34

butchlambert

Talked to Jerry on Wed. or Thursday. I was able to get a guide for his checkering machine that he has been after for a long time. He is a pleasure to visit with.

18 August 2020, 11:33

metal

Some nice Fisher rifles just popped up here-
http://www.hallowellco.com/new_arrivals.htm

18 August 2020, 21:49

custombolt

Mr. Dogcat.
.... and the Jerry Fisher rifle collection?

19 August 2020, 04:51

Tsquare2

Sorry for being so negligent in posting. I'll try to do better. Thanks for the nice comments.

On Jerry Fisher, there is no greater talent nor finer gentleman than Jerry.

TT

20 August 2020, 23:18

AnotherAZWriter

quote:
Originally posted by Tsquare2:
Sorry for being so negligent in posting. I'll try to do better. Thanks for the nice comments.

On Jerry Fisher, there is no greater talent nor finer gentleman than Jerry.

TT

Tom: great to see you posting again!

21 August 2020, 21:52

dogcat

quote:
Originally posted by custombolt:
Mr. Dogcat.
.... and the Jerry Fisher rifle collection?

I am negotiating buying the entire collection myself. Sorry to be greedy, not!

21 August 2020, 21:54

Biebs

Go for it!

22 August 2020, 02:47

custombolt

Update appreciated.

11 September 2020, 19:06

dogcat

Did the deal. Will be making changes to my collection based on what I now have. Stay tuned for deals.

11 September 2020, 19:37

Biebs

Congrats....he built great classic rifles!

12 September 2020, 03:04

Colin Masters

Incredible. Can’t wait to see the pictures.

12 September 2020, 08:14

squeezenhope

So, you got rid of the Blasers? If not it just wouldn't be right.

13 September 2020, 22:05

dogcat

Keeping the Blasers. But not in the same safe, they do not get along....