I don't know if any of you were fortunate enough to have ever met Maurice Ottmar. He lived only 60 miles from me and I visited him often. He was one of my two stockmaking mentors and he was one of the finest people I have every met.

About 5 years ago he suffered a lower brain stem stroke which still allowed him to work but greatly inhibited his effectiveness in his shop. His health continued to deteriorate and he finally had to stop work. He passed away a couple of years ago. I was asked to help him sell out the equipment in his shop, which I did, and in fact I bought a great deal of it myself. One of the items he wanted me to sell was his last project. It was based on a Peruvian Mauser 98 and he had surface ground the action, barreled it and cut the chamber for a 6mm Remington and installed a new bolt knob. He had utilized the military bottom metal and reshaped the old trigger guard so that it was unrecognizeable and a work of art. He had partially inletted an incredible blank of Turkish Walnut and he wanted me to try sell it for $1200. I told him the blank was worth more than that and I offered to finish the rifle for him so he would gain more money rather than selling it off unfinished. He accepted and I spoke to a few of his friends and so many of them wanted to create a team to build this rifle. It has taken us quite a while to reach this point and it is still not done. Hopefully in the next few months it will be near completion. Saeed has generally offered the use of this site to hold the auction so you will be seeing more of when the time comes.

Gary Goudy just sent this stock back to me after he finished his checkering. His work is always stunning. I almost said engraving but that is Roger Kehr's (Scrollcutter) part in the rifle. Not much different in high level of talent. Amazing stuff, thought you might like a sneak preview. BTW, the finish is not completely done and I will be installing a leather pad on it before my work is done on it.

Besides people doing the work, there are others who donated items to be used on the rifle. I did the stock work and will complete the finish and install a leather pad and Gary Goudy of course did the checkering. Jim Dubell will rust blue the metal when the metalwork is done and he has installed a 3 position safety donated by Jim Wisner. Mark Stratton is going to build some of his fine custom bases for the Talley rings donated by Talley Manufacturing that will house the Leupold Vari XIII 1.75 to 6 scope donated by Leupold and Stevens. Ted Blackburn donated one of his fine triggers and was kind enough to offer bottom metal but the work that Maurice did reshaping the trigger guard was not something that we wanted to leave off the rifle. Roger Kehr, last but certainly not least is going to do the engraving. If you have not seen any of Roger's work you are in for a treat. I might add that it is very fitting that Roger do the engraving on this rifle and I thank him for his participation. He and Maurice did a number of fine rifles together and they were close friends.

Several writer have offered to write articles about the rifle and that should aid in advertising. Hopefully with the coverage in a few magazines and the web site, a good price will be paid for this piece. The proceeds of this rifle will all go to Monika, Maurice's widow.

I am going to let the photos speak for themselves.

What a beautiful looking stock. I can't wait to see the finished rifle.

A very fitting tribute by a fine bunch of gentlemen.

Regards,
Dave

[ 10-30-2003, 23:17: Message edited by: DavidC ]

Gorgeous. I have a set of his Brno detachable rings, also a work of art. Nice and humble man from what I could tell over the phone.

Customstox,

I know that you and your colleagues aren't doing this for praise, but please accept mine. You are to be commended for donating your considerable talents to this wonderfully good cause.

I can tell from your pictures that this rifle is already well on its way to becoming a true masterpiece. It should bring thousands of dollars at auction.

If you will permit me, though, I have one suggestion. I can't help but think that the rifle would sell for a somewhat higher price if it were chambered in a more powerful caliber, say .270 Winchester or the tried and true .30-06. Not every bidder will want this as a collector's piece only. I, for one, love taking a best quality rifle into the field.

I know that this means rebarrelling or reboring, but you may want to consider it anyway.

Keep up the good work and best wishes for this project.

[ 10-31-2003, 00:46: Message edited by: mrlexma ]

Gentlemen

I guess it will be fantastic gun when it's completed. What kind of engraving will the rifle have?

I have been looking for pictures of Maurice Ottmars Brno ZG-47 in 9,3X64. Is there anyone who have pictures of this rifle or any of the other ZG-47 that Maurice built?

Cheers
/ JOHAN

JOHAN,

If you can find a copy of "Contempoary American Stockmakers by Ron Toews it shows three examples of Mr. Ottmar's work. This includes a Brno 600, all beautifully done. Also Hallowell Co. show his work but no 9.3mm.
Bob

mrlexma,
Thanks for the kind words. We did give that some consideration but if we did then it would have been that much less of the rifle that Maurice had done himself. I wish it had been in a more popular caliber and I am sure Maurice did not know that this was his last work. Be that as it may, the 6 mm Remington was his last rifle so we proceeded with it as it was.

Words do not do it justice. The man must have great, judging by what his friends have done. Hats off, heads bowed.
Mike

Too bad you went and gussied it up so much, I could have swung $1200 for the 6mm.

Great job gents. The guy/gal that ends up with it will certainly have something to be proud of.

Besides, what the heck is wrong with the 6mm???

Chic,
Not only is that a work of art but a labor of love as well. If the measure of a man is the friends he leaves behind then Maurice was a giant. The care and concern the team has for his memory and for the welfare of his widow is a fine reflection of the warmth of human nature. I hope the person who ends up with the rifle realizes what a special soul it represents.

Jeff

Chic,

Thanks for sharing. A wonderfully honorable project. Many more thoughts but honestly can't find the words.

Best - redleg

Chic

These are the first photos I have seen of the stock and the work.

The wood is gorgeous, the stock work exquisite, and the checkering sublime.

I am proud to be associated with all of you artisans and with this project.

Maurice was a virtuoso in the art of gunmaking(as you well know, Chic) and I know that he would be proud to be connected with this project as well... Rog

Chic,

I own a rifle made by Maurice Ottmar and I would not sell it. I have noticed, however, that certain firearms are not selling as well lately. I could be wrong...it's happened before.

I might suggest you do like that crazy guild and use the raffle process? $20 or $100 per ticket and say 2000 tickets.

Just another half-baked suggestion. As to the caliber...any caliber except 22 [ for obvious reasons] is fine. I don't really need a 6mm, but that hasn't stopped me in the past.

Good Luck!

Dave

Chic,

Beautiful work. I like that recoil pad -- is that a brown Pachmayr? My recent attempt at leather covering mine didn't go quite as planned, maybe I will look at one of those. More color than black, not as much color as red.

I also agree with the previous poster, who suggested the way to get the most money for Mr. Ottmar's estate would be to raffle it. If tickets are moderately priced i.e. $5 - $10, many, many people will take a chance (or several) to own a rifle like that.

Best,
Todd

Customstox,

Yes, please raffle it. Even if Indian laws never allow me to own it if I win, I'd like to buy a ticket. That it is a worthy cause is something that everyone is unanimous about!

Thanks,

Mehul Kamdar.

mehulkamdar

If I won that rifle and couldn't take delivery of it because of some stupid gun law. I would simply move....

Ths rifle would be ideal roe deer set up

/ JOHAN

Todd,
It is a Pachmyr Decelerator in brown but I am going to cover it with Cordovan colored leather very shortly.

As far as the suggestions for caliber, it was chambered as a 6mm by Maurice and we are not going to change that.

The raffle is an interesting idea. Problem is if we want to hit $5,000 we need to sell 500 tickets at $10 or 250 at $20. Will think about it.

Johan and mehulkamdar, if you could not get the rifle into your country, I would volunteer to keep it for you and exercise it regularly. I know it is very kind of me and of course I would do it for free!

[ 11-02-2003, 18:43: Message edited by: Customstox ]

Chic,

Here is an idea for the raffle -- have a raffle 'pre-registration' where people make verbal / e-mail commitments to purchase X number of tickets at whatever price -- make completion of the raffle and actual sale of the tickets contingent upon enough prospective ticket sales.

If you price them low enough that people are tempted to bite for several tickets, with ~10,000 members plus untold numbers of silent watchers, I don't think it would be hard at all to sell 1000 - 2000 tickets. I would buy several.

Todd

BTW I like the idea of a 'gun exercising service.' When rich people with nice guns go out of the country for long trips, they could send me the gun(s) and a check to for my services. Just like walking dogs. I think I would specialize in H&H doubles.

[ 11-02-2003, 18:52: Message edited by: Todd Getzen ]

Chic - I was fortunate enough to have met Maurice at my very first ACGG show. What a splendidly humble and polite person he was, and so wonderfully gifted as a stockmaker. How humbling it was for me to later learn that Maurice apparently created all those wonderful stocks working "from the blank".

I suspect that somewhere he has been watching over the group effort on this tribute rifle... and smiling proudly. Well done.

[ 11-03-2003, 06:50: Message edited by: Glen71 ]

Chic,

I am always good for several ticketes on a rifle raffle much to the dismay of my ever understanding wife

I am sure I could find a use for a rifle like that.