Two cased longrifles on display

[Blacksmoke]

For those interested,  I am displaying the two cased longrifles that I have handcrafted over the last 30 yrs. at the annual Bienfeld  antique firearm and collectable show in Las Vegas Jan. 18 - 21, 2018.  Some of you might remember the first cased longrifle  which I completed in 1983 and was subsequently stolen in 1989.  However it was found again several yrs. later and then hidden under a bed for 29 yrs.!  Anyway here some photos of the two rifles.



Hugh Toenjes

[elk killer]

Why would you hide a rifle for 29 years?

[Blacksmoke]

Elk Killer:  My client was afraid that it might get stolen again.  So he hid it under his bed so that he could keep it close to him at all times.  When I built the project for him he had a vault/gun room.  However his business went broke and he had to disperse all of his other guns, but he kept only one - the one that I made for him.  It was left to his Daughter upon his death.  She did not know what was under his bed until she cleaned out his apt.   Then she called me to find out what this gun was and if it was worth anything.  Subsequently she and her husband brought it here to my shop where I spent several days cleaning the corrosion off all the silver, as it was entirely silver mounted.  Not a dent or a scratch on it  just oxidation  on the silver and some brass accessories.  Anyway some people might remember it being published in Muzzle Blasts - July 1989 with a short description and notice that it was stolen.      Hugh Toenjes

[retired fella]

Wow, that's too pretty to shoot.  Hat's off, you da man.

[n stephenson]

A couple of pretty nice poorboys!!!      JUST PLAYING!!!    Hugh, I knew that you make beautiful barrels  but , I had NO idea , that you did rifles like this. Those are  SUPER!!! VERY NICE WORK!!!   thanks for posting these Awesome pieces.  Nate

[oldtravler61]

  Fantastic work...beyond words...Hugh if there is a class for Master Builders you...are at the top in my opinion....Thanks for showing...

[smart dog]

Hi Hugh,
I saw those before and still marvel at them.  Beautiful work!  If you want to post them for sale with prices, we can move the thread to the classified section. However, I like them posted in this section so folks can appreciate and comment on them. 

dave

[Blacksmoke]

Both projects were made to shoot - they are not just a piece of eye candy.  They were made in the "presentation grade" category and both remain in "mint" condition.  Both projects have over 6,000 hrs. of my bench time in each of them.  The earlier one includes a divorce as well.    I only posted on this thread because they are contemporarily made and very collectable.     Hugh Toenjes

[smart dog]

Hi Mike,
Yes, I believe Hugh spent almost 2 years making making that rifle.  He rifled the barrel and made many of the parts by hand as well as a lined wooden case and all the accessories, which are of the same quality. He then presented it to the Firearms Makers Guild as his masterpiece submission for membership in the guild. 

dave

[Majorjoel]

Hugh, if I had any kind of "juice" in that guild, you'd have been made a master with the rifle you built 30 years ago!

Absolutely stunning work!   

[Blacksmoke]

Dave: It was not my intention  market either of these rifles on this thread.  I only wanted to alert folks to their display in Las Vegas this coming January.  As for Mike's math - I appreciate his suspected hourly rate to build them.  You and I both know that the high end guns never compensate the builder what his time is worth.  A lot of my payment is received in the appreciation of people who admire and respect my efforts.    At last April's gun show in Rapid City there was women who spent some time at my display, in the end she had tears in her eyes because of the simple elegance that she found in my art work she said.    That was part of my payment for doing what I do.       Hugh Toenjes

[Blacksmoke]

Joel:  The Guild did endorse the earlier  rifle at the 1985 NRA show in Seattle WA.  I did not join the Guild then but waited till 2009 to do so.      Hugh Toenjes

[smart dog]

Hi Mike,
There is the old fable of the hedgehog and the fox.  The fox survives because he knows how to do many small things and the hedgehog survives because he knows how to do one big thing. Hugh does what works for him and you do what works for you.  What is the point of discussing the differences?   

dave

[Mike Brooks]

Hi Mike,
There is the old fable of the hedgehog and the fox.  The fox survives because he knows how to do many small things and the hedgehog survives because he knows how to do one big thing. Hugh does what works for him and you do what works for you.  What is the point of discussing the differences?   

dave

There is no point. I'll remove my posts.

 Hugh, your work is stunning, probably some of the best I've ever seen. I hope you have great success in in Las Vegas.

[Blacksmoke]

Thanks guys fort all the positive comments.       Hugh Toenjes

[Nordnecker]

Absolutely incredible. But those words don't do justice to workmanship of this calibre. 6000 hrs....WOW.

[Ed Wenger]

Superb contemporary work, Hugh.  Thanks for posting!



         Ed