Adolph Minar was from Fountain, Colorado and made about 36 stocks. He became well known after he made a stock for Jack O’Connor and O’Connor wrote about him. A few days ago I was asked for some better pictures of a Minar rifle and this morning another gentleman asked about how to ID a Minar. After the article and book no new Minar rifles have come to light. This rifle is a .257 Roberts and has a barrel by Sukalle. It came from a Oregon Vineyard, keep you eyes open they could be anywhere.

Beautiful and wonderfully proportioned. I especially like the shadowlined and beaded oval cheekpiece. Just lovely!

Great color photography, too.

It is sure nice to photos of these rifle after not hearing the names for so long.
I subscribed to Outdoor Life from the early 60's to the end of O'Connor's tenure. When he logged off for the last time I gave up the magazine due to the lack of his style.
His style included articles about custom rifle makers that seemed to have set the standards for today's practioners.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
It is sure nice to photos of these rifle after not hearing the names for so long.
I subscribed to Outdoor Life from the early 60's to the end of O'Connor's tenure. When he logged off for the last time I gave up the magazine due to the lack of his style.
His style included articles about custom rifle makers that seemed to have set the standards
for today's practioners.

Good observation: Jack O'Connor and his wife visited Janice and I when we lived in Pleasant Hill, CA..shortly after he retired from Outdoor Life and turned the reins over to Jim Carmichel.

Jack was absolutely mesmorizing! Yarn after yarn...a great story teller! His wife was very quiet!...very pleasant !

Jack was a pretty big man...guess around 6-2 or so and a real gentleman!

Truth is, Jim Carmichel was a bit more scientific than Jack O'Connor, but his legacy speaks for itself...Jim just retired and I don't know too much about his replacement, but Jim says he's a very knowledgeable and enthusitac writer...I look forward to a continuing and uninteruppted flow of adventures and informaion that has become the trademark of OUTDOOR LIFE

looks more like a cheap target rifle than a classic hunting rifle

Shootaway
You are a little actually a lot out of touch with what constitutes a classic rifle.

Gentlemen,

Thank you so much for the pictures of the beautiful stock and rifle. The information about Jack O'Connor was very interesting as well.

The good old days. I to was an O'Connor fan.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
looks more like a cheap target rifle than a classic hunting rifle

Thanks for reminding me why I do what I do .

The man who owns Jack O'Connor's Minar rifle brought it to Reno in 2008 and I got to play with it. It is about the same as the one pictured. I hope more Minar rifles will turn up in the future.

Hello shootaway,
I am somewhat dismayed at your reference to the subject rifle as a "cheap target rifle..." The word cheap and target rifle do not belong in the same sentence. Most experienced target rifle shooters wish their rifle looked and handled like this one and yet able to deliver outstanding accuracy. Most sporting rifle owners wish their rifles shot like a target rifle. I would venture to say that subject rifle filled both roles as close as any or Mr. Jack O'Connor would not have had the rifle. Perhaps the rifle would not be considered a "classic" rifle in Canada, but it is definitely an "American Classic" in every sense of the term. Just my opinion.

That Minar rifle is just a magnificent classic sporter. The lines and proportions are as good as it gets.
I can drool over rifles like that forever.
Thanks for the posting Michael!!!

Don

Michael

I would be interested in knowing how Mr. Minar marked his rifles to indicate they were his work.

Did he do any metalwork at all, or was it just stock work.

Also I am curious about that band just above the front sling swivel. Are the band and the swivel attached to each other?

Shootaway, you remind me of that old saying "Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to be heard and prove it"

quote:

Originally posted by MFD:
Hello shootaway,
I am somewhat dismayed at your reference to the subject rifle as a "cheap target rifle..." The word cheap and target rifle do not belong in the same sentence. Most experienced target rifle shooters wish their rifle looked and handled like this one and yet able to deliver outstanding accuracy. Most sporting rifle owners wish their rifles shot like a target rifle. I would venture to say that subject rifle filled both roles as close as any or Mr. Jack O'Connor would not have had the rifle. Perhaps the rifle would not be considered a "classic" rifle in Canada, but it is definitely an "American Classic" in every sense of the term. Just my opinion.

This Minar rifle certainly WOULD be ...considered a "classic" rifle in Canada... and any REAL rifle connoisseur here would LOVE to be able to examine it in person, let alone own it.

Every society or nation contains a certain number of congenital idiots, Canada included.......

quote:

Posted 20 April 2009 09:58 Hide Post

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by shootaway:
looks more like a cheap target rifle than a classic hunting rifle


Thanks for reminding me why I do what I do .

Michael

I do feel for you sometimes when you are trying to educate the masses on early custom firearms. I hope you don't give up though because I have learned a lot from your writing and pictures.

Many thanks

Michael, Were you able to receive any more photos from my N. Calif client ? if I remember correctly you thought that rifle might be a Minar ?

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
Michael

I would be interested in knowing how Mr. Minar marked his rifles to indicate they were his work.

Did he do any metalwork at all, or was it just stock work.

Also I am curious about that band just above the front sling swivel. Are the band and the swivel attached to each other?

Like many of the makers of his day and before he did not mark his work. Out of the three dozen stocks he made I know of four with a fifth I still not sure about. The barrel band connects to the swivel, this was common for many makers.

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
Michael, Were you able to receive any more photos from my N. Calif client ? if I remember correctly you thought that rifle might be a Minar ?

Phil,
If it's the same person I'm thinking of , yes, I have the pictures and it is a Minar rifle.

Michael, Did you offer to buy it from him ? If not I probably will.

Phil,
I pulled my file and the last Minar pictures I got were from a man named Jim. If this is the same person I did not offer to buy the rifle and I think you should. If there is another rifle then I have not seen the pictures.

I love the way that stock architecture and craftsmanship will trump gaudy wood and engraving every time. Don't misunderstand me, I love a great piece of wood and fine engraving, but the style and craftsmanship must come first. If you have that then you don't need fancy wood as this Minar so aptly displays.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:
Shootaway, you remind me of that old saying "Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to be heard and prove it"

Agreed.

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
I love the way that stock architecture and craftsmanship will trump gaudy wood and engraving every time. Don't misunderstand me, I love a great piece of wood and fine engraving, but the style and craftsmanship must come first. If you have that then you don't need fancy wood as this Minar so aptly displays.

Amen!
Great observation...

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
I love the way that stock architecture and craftsmanship will trump gaudy wood and engraving every time. Don't misunderstand me, I love a great piece of wood and fine engraving, but the style and craftsmanship must come first. If you have that then you don't need fancy wood as this Minar so aptly displays.

I agree and when possible I like to show a maker’s work that has no engraving and with a plainer type of wood. Over the years I have gone out of my way to search out such, IMO you learn a lot about his work with these type rifles.

Niedner-Shelhamer

Michael, I will contact the owner this week and see if I/we ? can pry it out of him. I don't think he is all that attached - he just bought it a few years back as he kind of thought it was kind of neat.
I'll plan on calling when I get to the valley as I have a rifle you will want to see.
How is the new book coming ? Put me down for one.