Hi all,
I am looking at purchasing a custom mauser rifle built by a gunsmith named Ray Price. It appears to be put together very well with custom bottom metal, wing safety, classic stock etc. Does anyone here have any information about this gunsmith they can share? This will be my first custom rifle purchase and I'm trying to do as much research as possible.

Thanks Saeed (and all others involved) for this great website!

Chic Worthing (Customstox) will certainly reply. IIRC Ray was one of Chic's mentors.

See gunsamerica 976568848, seller says custom Rem 37 .22LR sporter was built by Ray Price, very nice rifle indeed.

Ray was a good friend and a great gunsmith. One of a few stockmakers that could do anything you wanted (if Ray concurred with the idea). He got his training in woodwork as a pattern maker for molds.

You will not be disappointed in the rifle, if you decide to buy it.

I hope Chic replies. He was able to spent quite a bit of time with Ray.

MJS,
Welcome to the site,

Roger put it perfectly with his comments about Ray. I spent most of my lunch hours for several years in his shop. His work was as good as anything you see from the best.

If you decide not to purchase the rifle, I would like to have the opportunity to consider it if possible. I never have owned any of his guns although I had the chance. Lack of available funds usually kept me from them.

Ray could do anything he set his mind to. He was an exceptional metalsmith as well as a stockmaker. He had the ability to figure out all the ins and outs of rather intricate metalworking gems. Ray was a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild.

He built most of his guns from the blank but in the early 90's he purchased a Hoenig and Rodman duplicator, the Rolls Royce of duplicators. He taught me how to use it, although I do not have anywhere near the experience he had with it. That particular duplicator is now owned by Saeed.

Thanks to all who replied. I did purchase the rifle today, a .257 Roberts. I was told by the gunshop that it was one of Ray's projects that had finished wood & checkering but the metal was in the white. They said that Ray had passed on a while back and that this is one of the rifles from his estate that made it back to Arizona. They gave it a matte hot blue, so I guess I have 90% of a Ray Price rifle. The underlying metal work still looks great.

Did Ray use a typical wood finish? It looks to be oil finished and I am in the dry Arizona desert so I'm wondering if it will need anything done to it from a maintenance standpoint to prevent drying.

I will be taking some pictures tomorrow but have no idea how to post them. Help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

PS
Customstox. I will be sending you a PM shortly on another rifle.

I'm pretty sure I remember the rifle you have described. If it is the one I'm thinking of, Ray built it for himself/spec rifle (almost all rifles built by makers are for sale potentially).

I remember seeing the rifle in Ray's shop. He described it as quite accurate and had taken more than a few crows with it.

I am sure you will enjoy the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by MJS:
I will be taking some pictures tomorrow but have no idea how to post them. Help would be appreciated.

Try this How to Post Pictures or email them to me and I will post them for you.

Regards,

Terry

Mike,
I know both of those rifles and they were ones I looked at when Ross, Ray's son was selling the rest of his guns. I know what he was using for a finish on those guns. If it had a high gloss it was Sea Fin Teak oil and if it is a matte finish and it most likely is, it is BennMatte.

I also know the .270 and it is one of my favorites. It is a bitter sweet surprise that it is available.

Chic,
PM & pics sent to your email.
Mike

Welcome to the dark side of custom guns.

Mike: you bought one of the nicest pieces of custom gunnery I have seen. You done well. Now run back and buy the matching 270 and never look back.

Jameister

The stock is simply stunning.

Very nice!

Jameister, it is to late, I bought the 270 yesterday.

MJS & Customstox,

Superb, beautiful work.

Congratulations,
Roland

Simply beautiful, the wood is absolutely gorgeous. A guy could get lost for hours in the figure alone.

MJS and Chic, congratulations on your acquisitions.