Author Topic: Mike Gahagan John Davidson on the Blog (Read 8545 times)

G-Man · « **on:** February 20, 2013, 06:52:35 PM »

Of course Mike's work is always fantastic, but here he has taken on one of the greatest Virginia rifles in existence and really pulled it off superbly. Nice, nice, nice.

Guy

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2013, 09:11:15 PM »

Yep, great work. Can't even pick on it.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2013, 09:23:58 PM »

The rifle's great...but the pictures are too small! Mike, why not post those and a few more here, on the ALR site, and in a bigger format. I want to savour it!!!

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2013, 11:37:01 PM »

Not much.............

Mike Gahagan · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2013, 12:49:54 AM »

Sorry Taylor,I tried to figure out how to post them but I am just a dim witted hillbilly and couldn`t understand what they wanted as far as URLs,type of site,etc.You can go to my web site at www.mikegahaganflintlocks.com where Jan pulled them from but they will be the same size I believe.

bgf · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2013, 02:29:36 AM »

Mr. Gahagan,
I love that rifle -- If you mail me bigger pictures (e-mail in profile, just click on my tag), I'll post them.

Keb · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2013, 03:29:37 AM »

Mike Gahagan · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2013, 03:44:41 AM »

Thanks Keb.I was just setting here trying to figure out how to E-mail with attachments and it kept telling me that the file was too big.I hate computers sometimes.One thing that I would like to say is that I can`t take credit for the aging of the brass.The owner did that himself with spit and black powder over a couple week period,so there is another way to age brass if you have enough spit and time.

bgf · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:00:52 AM »

Quote from: Mike Gahagan on February 21, 2013, 03:44:41 AM

...
One thing that I would like to say is that I can`t take credit for the aging of the brass.The owner did that himself with spit and black powder over a couple week period,so there is another way to age brass if you have enough spit and time.

I know some people will feel differently, but the fact that it is a shooter makes it even better! I first saw this one in Nov. 2010 Muzzleblasts, flipping through an article about "some guy" (no offence), when I saw the Davidson, which always stops me in my tracks. I thought it was real for a while. It is a nice job you did on that: I don't think I've seen many (if any) better jobs at making a "copy" of a southern rifle.

art riser · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:21:43 AM »

As stated earlier these images can be viewed this size on the blog by merely clicking on them.

Mike Gahagan · « **Reply #10 on:** February 21, 2013, 04:40:27 AM »

Hey,no offense taken.I'm used to being "some guy".One guy told me that he was going to give me a paper bag with a face drawn on it so that I could be the unknown comic of gunsmithing.

Art,tell Jan thanks for posting those and I will be sending her some pictures of a Isaac Haines in a week or so that I just finished and thanks for the comments guys.

B Shipman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2013, 06:30:37 AM »

Love it.

G-Man · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2013, 06:46:25 AM »

Mike - it almost seems like you are working your way through a series of contemporary builds of the most iconic surviving original guns from each region - I was looking back on the photos on Art and Jan's site of that great North Carolina rifle - the one based on the "WB" gun from the Bivins and Ivey books. Really super. You seem to be able to tackle all the different styles equally well - architecture, carving, everything.

Guy

Mike Gahagan · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2013, 09:08:04 PM »

Yeah Guy,it looks that way.I have been lucky to have customers that made some great choices in the types of guns that they wanted built and the variety also keep it interesting instead of doing the same style over and over again.Building copies or "in the style of" dose limit the artistic side,but I like the challenge of trying to figure out the different style of each old builder and what process or tools that they might have used to get the look of the original.

bgf · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2013, 11:52:08 PM »

Don't go playing Rodney Dangerfield. I was simply ignorant, but I figured out who you were pretty quick! Guy is right about that WB. I can see "copy" not being the artistic ego trip that other types of work can be, but from what I can tell, you have the crucial and rare skill of letting the originals speak for themselves through your work. The only improvement I could see from you is to do MORE southern rifles the way you've done previous ones!

J. Talbert · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2013, 07:35:26 PM »

Mike,

Wonderful rifle gun... I just can't say enough!

Jeff

Topknot · « **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2013, 02:05:45 AM »

MIKE, That is one beautiful rifle!!! When I see your builds, all I can say is... That boys got a heap of talent!!!
Keep up the great work and keep posting them awesome longrifles.

topknot

R.D.Metcalf · « **Reply #17 on:** March 02, 2013, 04:14:24 AM »

That is a handsome rifle gun, Mike!

Mike Gahagan · « **Reply #18 on:** March 02, 2013, 09:29:45 PM »

Thanks again guys for the kind comments!

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Author Topic: Mike Gahagan John Davidson on the Blog (Read 8545 times)

R.D.Metcalf