Dave Motto guns

[oldgunguy]

I have a Motto pistol and love to see others, do they bring a high price? mine is just great looking. Thanks

[Daryl]

Sorry - I've never heard of Dave Motto. If the gun is good, that's great!

[rich pierce]

Dave Motto was a well-respected builder of the 1980s and forward a ways. Good clean guns, well-constructed, good architecture. Not a collectable builder (Bivins, Chambers, Herschel House, Harn, as examples) but made guns folks would be proud to own and have on their table.

[Stoner creek]

I remember that he was selling guns back in the 80s that were affordable. Nothing over the top, just nicely done contemporary arms. I wonder where he is nowadays?

[Longshot]

Here is an old and poor picture of a Berks county .54 Dave made for me back when.  He was living in the Bruceton Mills area of WV at the time, and working out of a fairly primitive shop attached to his cabin in the woods.  I drove out there to pick up the rifle and had a memorable experience with a true craftsman.  The rifle is a treasure, superb in all respects.  A 44" swamped Rice barrel, tight fit in a select maple stock with a tasty measure of Leonard Reedy style carving and convincingly aged hardware.  This picture struggles to portray the quality of the piece.

[Mike Brooks]

He made some pretty nice guns
 I haven't seen him around in many  years. That may be because I don't get out much.

[Berksrifle]

I have one of his rifles I bought new in 2002 at Dixon's shop. He was in West Virginia then. Before that he and his family lived in Pennsylvania. I visited him there in 1983, just to give a time frame of his of his builds. Here are some pics of the 2002 rifle. The rifle is a Berks County style from Chuck Dixon. That's why the "D.Motto * Dixon" on the barrel.

Ken

[Plumloco]

Hope this worked? Here's a couple that Dave made for me. Rifle .60 (2019) Pistol .54.(2018) Both shoot great!

 Plumloco

[Majorjoel]

I remember seeing quite a few of Dave Motto's guns sold on Track of the Wolf's website over the years.  Not sure if Track still offers (for a fee) access to past sales or not?

[Austin]

Big Wayne, I think I got Dave Motto that you traded for and I ended up with 20 years ago. Ill have to dig it out an take some pics. Well made, good craftsmanship. Seems like he liked to party and everyone in friendship knew he was there! Fun days! Hope he’s still doing well.

[Ted Kramer]

One of the guys who shoots in matches at my place brought a Dave Motto smooth bore in 12 ga several years ago. The reason I remember it is because we were shooting at some buffalo silhouettes at about 100 yards. He loaded a big old round ball in that 12 bore and touched it off. The ball hit the ground at about 80 yards, plowed through the leaves, hit a small bump in the sod and smashed into the intended buffalo silhouette sending it a few feet behind the railroad tie it sat on. Of course he said he planned it that way. I remember it was a nice smooth bore, well made. Now I have to ask him to bring it, when he’s done snowbirding, so I can look it over again & get a picture or two.

You can view guns sold in past years on Track’s site if you buy an archives subscription. I think a month is $6 or something like that.

Ted K

[Eric Kettenburg]

I remember seeing and talking to him at Dixon's in the late 90s and early 2000s.  So does anyone know what he's doing now, or if still around or working?

[Austin]

Here’s my Motto, kinda that old clunky 70’s contemporary with a kind of a Rouse trigger guard that was popular back then. Well made, fit to finish is extraordinary…..

[acorn20]

Dave participated in shoots all across Pennsylvania in the late 70's, 80's and early 90's.  I remember him shooting one of his schimmels, a favorite style of rifle he enjoyed building.  He would always lubricate his patches with RIG. 

[Plumloco]

Dave is still in Pa. He is not building guns anymore. But may if you are persistence. He also built me one heck of a fowler. 20 ga. Flinter with a jug choke. Have taken turkeys out to 62yds so far. (that's the longest)  I speak to him once or twice a year. He is still dave. If you could get him to build a rifle for you. He is one heck of a builder. Great workmanship!!  One thing! He will tell you exactly how he feels! But that's not a problem. He a good buddy!  Plumloco