SDH

Just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed your piece in the new Sports Afield very much. the whole issue is extraoridinarily good this month.

I also really enjoyed the articles.

I sent an email to the editor telling him how much I liked the articles. If anyone wants to do the same his email is

editorinchief@sportsafield.com

SDH, great job on both the articles! This months issue was top notch.

Now that SA has covered an Intro to Custom Rifles & Choosing a Custom Maker..... moving forward any plans to include article(s) outlining the individual gunmakers?

I would love to see regular articles featuring a single craftman and the style of hunting rifles they specialize in and skills they are known for. There are a number of great gunmakers out there who's rifles would compliment the featured hunts and general style of the magazine very well...

I spoke to the SA folks during the 2005 SCI convention and expressed my interest in seeing such articles. I only hope they are hearing similar requests from other hunters!

To my way of thinking this would be a very refreshing change from the junk written... basically as advertisments for the latest 'gun stuff' produced by the big three. SA is head and shoulders above most other gun mags IMHO and best quality rifle & gunmaker features would only further distinguish them.....

Regards,
Dave

DavidC

You have mirrored my thoughts exactly. Many years ago I used to subscribe to Guns Magazine. I did so expressly because each month they did an article about a different custom gunmaker, and usually showed a few very well photographed photos of that makers work. They also did extensive coverage each year of the Custom Gunmaker's Guild Show, and The Safari Club meetings. They had a reporter by the name of Stuart Williams (if I remember correctly ) who was outstanding in his writing on custom Guns. And then one day he and the custom features were gone. I immediately stopped my subscription.

I feel the same way. In my email to the editor I suggested a custom rifle of the month articl and centerfold.... Now wouldn't that be an excellent addition to SA? Something I would definitely love to see.

Again I encourage everyone to email the editor and tell him you want to see more custom rifle articles at;

editorinchief@sportsafield.com

I think I remember seeing pictures of that rifle about the time you finished it. Awesome then, awesome still.

In a few years SDH, you will see scopes in a whole new light (as your eyes age). I say this as someone who just a few weeks ago (ok twenty years) thought a Sako Mannlicher in 30-06 with a peep sight was all anyone needed to shoot anything .

LD

I haven't picked up a Sports Afield in some time. I had a subscription and it seemed they were going more into non hunting and shooting outdoor activitys and I let it die. I'll have to take a peek at one.

I agree with SDH. Sports Afield has clearly taken the lead in qualtiy among the three big names in general outdoor type magazines (Outdoor Life, Field and Stream, and Sports Afield) Sports Afield is now how Outdoor Life used to be, with actual stories of hunting and fishing by those who actually get out and do it.
Well worth a subscription in my opinion, and hopefully ole Steve can convince the powers that be to allow him a monthly column on custom guns just as Shooting Sportsman did (another great magazine although more on the line of Shotgun Sports).

Keep up the Good Work SDH.

By the way, that Hegeleland rifle is just absolutely gorgeous. If there is anyone out there who doesn't think that a 1909 Argentine Mauser can be made into a beautiful rifle, you gotta take a look at the photo of the Hegleland Rifle.

SDH,

I heard that if you soak in the hot springs at Chico, and eat some of them vittles at the four star diner there, your vision sharpens up like it was in your twenties .

Time to re-up my SA subscription! I let it lapse when they went to windsurfing and mountain biking.

LD

SA does have a great magazine but, I think it could be improved in it's depth & breadth....and regular features of best quality rifles is a heck of a good place to start IMHO.

About a year or so back SA sent out a questionaire asking for feedback from it's subscribers. Well, I gave them an ear full (2 pgs if memory serves) about what I didn't like in the current crop of gun rags(cancelled my subscriptions to all of them years back.) and how much I enjoyed SA...as well as what I would like to see them cover going forward. A couple months later Diana Rupp responded to the questionaire in her column by stating something to the effect that the response they recieved percentage wise was unprecedented! It appears to me that they have caught our eye as a group and generated some real momentum....

SDH, that is a beautiful Low Wall! Absolutely love it! As civic minded as I am I could just see myself with that rifle in hand thinning out the dangerous grey squirrel population in Southern New Hampshire. If you do get the chance to write a monthly feature on a individual gunmaker & his work I nominate Mr. Tom Burgess as the feature for article No.1.

dempsey, pick up the latest copy of SA. You won't be disappointed.


Best Regards,
Dave

I just subscripted online for the clinic.

LD

SDH, they were very nicely written articles. It's good to see the custom gun trade getting some attention again.

Maybe if everyone here banded together and innundated Diana Rupp with emails about how much we enjoyed the articles, then she'd see to it that we'd get to read more of them.

Steven, maybe you could write a feature about some of the great names still active in the business - Jerry Fisher, Ted Blackburn, Tom Burgess, and Duane Wiebe just to name a few. You'd need a good story line to tie them together...hmmm...let's see...maybe the fact that they all have a hand in the Scholarship Rifle we're building! What a concept! I should be your editor.

SDH

I think I mentioned on here once before that its pretty hard to find you there in Livingston. No address in the local phone book!!!!!

Second, I agree with DavidC. A nice long article about Mr. Burgess would be wonderful. I don't know him as well as others on here, but I have visited with him, and he is a National Treasure with regards to his knowledge of metalsmithing.

Beauty of a Low Wall.

SDH
I havent read the article, but I must say that's one sweet low wall!
gunmaker

I finally found a copy, it took some doing. I remember when you could pick one up at any magazine rack. The magazine has completely done a 180 from the last time I looked thru one and in the right direction. The majority of the magazines I get are a result of membership such as the NRA or SCI so I never really pay much attention to the price. I was a little shocked that they ask $7.00 bucks a copy, maybe that's why I couldn't find one at the normal places. I might have to get a subscription. I enjoyed the whole magazine, even SDH's articles Very well done and informative. Nice photographs are also a big plus.