Who do the Modern Makers and general members on this Site Admire

[nosrettap1958]

I don't either Bob!! Those kind of people are always looking to 'get over' on someone or always looking for someone to help them. Free of charge of course.

[JCKelly]

Wow! Thank you, Dean2, I was able to use Image Shack to post a wheel lock photo on Gun Building.

Easy to use, as you said.

So, this being a Contemporary Longrifle thread, here is a rather short one, a Jacob Kuntz pistol I made for my late father, early 1980's. .45 cal, 7/8" octagon barrel filed (no lathe work, all you machinist types) half-round. Silver buttcap, barely visible, hammered out into an end-grain oak die. "Economized" on sterling silver sideplate by soldering thin gage silver to a brass base.





Courtesy of imageschack.us

[Bob Roller]

Jim,
When I was about 17,I filed a round barrel to octagon,all 10" of it.
It is now 60 years later and I have no real desire to do that again.
My old friend,the late Marshal Ralph Hooker once filed a 48" rifle barrel from
round to octagon.That has to be some kind of record because he was past 60
when he did it.
That is a fine looking pistol no matter how you made it.

Bob Roller

[EricEwing]

Noone said Roy Stroh? I'm still pretty new at this but I think his work is on par with many of the names mentioned. Like many of the artists named he seems to have a knack for following his own instincts and turning out expertly made work that capture the spirit of the medium they are working with.

[gizamo]

I will 2nd Roy Stroh.  I have handled alot of his guns... and shot a few.  He is a great competitive shooter and that is reflected in the accuracy of his guns.   He has a rare talent, combined with a brilliant ability to execute his artistic vision. 

Plus, he smokes a mean brisket...

[whitebear]

From what I have seen Taylor, Ace, or I like what I have seen done by Dr. Tim Boone

[SPG]

Gentlemen,

With so many master 'smiths today I would base my choice on one that I know personally rather than just an acknowledged master that I wasn't acquainted with. This gives a connection to the rifle that is very valuable at the personal level. I believe that this was a factor back in the old days, as well. It's the reason I collect Don King rifles.

So...10 grand in my pocket to spend on a contemporary rifle? I'd be walking into Mr. Phariss' shop and saying "Hey, old buddy...you know that C. Beck double rifle on page 263 of Kindig's? What...you haven't started yet?"

(By the way, Dan...I already have the barrels.)

Steve

[Hawken62_flint]

Don't know if I saw Keith Casteel mentioned and I know that Keith kinda sticks to a transition style rifle, which is earlier than you mentioned.  I believe the last I knew his rifles started at $10,000, but his chisel engraving of all furniture is amazing--akin to the old masters of Europe.  Then there is Brian LaMaster, a protoge of Keith.  Also, what about Wallace Gusler and Wayne Watson?  There are just a plethora of great builders, that it would be hard to pick one and the really great ones probably can't be touched for $10K.  Oh, also left out Allan Sandy, whose wire inlay is crazy !!  And Tim Williams--held a couple of his rifles at Fort Frederick this year and they are absolutely beautiful to look at and they hold and point even better.  He builds them to use, not just to collect.

[Old Bob]

This is a first. I have had others ask me about the price of a bench crafted lock
when I tell them I get $150 for a Hawken lock,thet will reply "$150 for a LOCK'?
My reply is always blunt,"No,the lock is free but the labor/time it takes to make it isn't.
I have no time for such people.

Bob Roller

Yet those same people will pay $135 for a lock made entirely from castings. I'm no expert lock filer, but I know how much work goes into making some of those parts when repairing locks and I've made a mule ear from scratch just based on some fuzzy photos. I hope to get started this week on forging a flint lock from wrought iron and though excited about it, I kinda dread it, especially with all this heat and humidity. Besides, I ain't done any forging for quite a while. But I've got this old "new" Getz barrel that deserves a proper lock to go with it...

[Dean2]

Wow! Thank you, Dean2, I was able to use Image Shack to post a wheel lock photo on Gun Building.

Easy to use, as you said.

So, this being a Contemporary Longrifle thread, here is a rather short one, a Jacob Kuntz pistol I made for my late father, early 1980's. .45 cal, 7/8" octagon barrel filed (no lathe work, all you machinist types) half-round. Silver buttcap, barely visible, hammered out into an end-grain oak die. "Economized" on sterling silver sideplate by soldering thin gage silver to a brass base.





Courtesy of imageschack.us

\
Glad that worked out for you or we would not have got to see that very nice looking pistol. Good job, especially on a tight budget.

[Luke MacGillie]

For 10 Grand?  Id pick up a RDIAS........

Or Id get a pair of Jerry Scales rifles, one to use and another to admire.......

Or Id get 5 2K rifles from guys like Kyle Schumacher who are the future.

Any rifle I buy has to be able to survive horse and canoe wrecks, a week long rainsoaked hunting trip, I cant buy rifles to hang on the wall, especially one that would cost 10K?  that would need to be in a safe, not on display, and that would be a shame.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Luke I understand what you are saying.  But there are no contemporary rifles that should be delegated to the wall or safe.  They are meant to be shot.  You cannot hurt them by using them, but horses can!  Yet I regularly subject by best rifles to whatever comes.  For me anyway, the joy is not the possession of the thing, but the application of it.  If I should ever come into money like that, I intend to acquire more than one such contemporary rifle...already have at least three builders in mind.  And they will have to survive the Great White North!!

[Dean2]

D Taylor and Luke

I agree with both of you. I have some very fancy finnished rifles but I do not have any that don't get to go out and do what they were built for. While some of them are truly art, they are also very functional at their primary purpose. I know some think it is wrong to ding up a great work of art, but the beauty of a gun is its form and FUNCTION. The best memories I have of any gun is the using of it, not the looking at it.

[Bob Roller]

Fine guns are like major classic cars,if they can't be used,sell them.
We have a friend in St.Louis that has a Duesenberg that he drives
sometimes and one day while waiting for a light to change,two young guys pulled
up beside of him and asked him why he drove that old car.His reply was,"My retirement
went to $#*! and it's all I can afford".That car has a minimum current value of around
a million dollars.

Bob Roller

[mountainman70]

Hey Bob,that is one of the best comebacks I have ever heard.Dave

[Old Bob]

Luke I understand what you are saying.  But there are no contemporary rifles that should be delegated to the wall or safe.  They are meant to be shot.  You cannot hurt them by using them, but horses can!  Yet I regularly subject by best rifles to whatever comes.  For me anyway, the joy is not the possession of the thing, but the application of it.  If I should ever come into money like that, I intend to acquire more than one such contemporary rifle...already have at least three builders in mind.  And they will have to survive the Great White North!!

Yet there are some who will only put them in safes or display cases. I met a fellow several years ago at the Ohio collectors show who had just received an absolutely beautiful Warren Offenberger flintlock longrifle. It was exquisitely carved and engraved. Since it was a .32, I asked him if he was going to squirrel hunt with it. He looked at me like I had just kicked his dog and said, 'There will never be a shot fired from it. I waited 5 years and paid 5 figures for it!' I said that's fine it's your gun, but if it was me, for that kind of money it's going to be used. Personally, if I had an original rifle from a famous maker and it was in shootable condition, I would at least have to see how well it shoots, even if I wind up putting it away. I'm sure I'll get raked over the coals for such a statement by somebody, but hey, if it has lasted for 200+ years of shooting and handling it will stand a few carefully loaded rounds.

[whitebear]

Old Bob I whole hardily agree.  I have always had the philosophy that if it cost so much I cant shoot it then I can't afford it.  I seldom shoot my original Harpers Ferry 1816 musket but I do shoot it occasionally.  And if the excrement's were to hit the rotary air flow device I would pull it out and load it to put food on the table .

[jamesthomas]

 Well, I didn't see his name listed, but if I had 10 Grand I would walk into Mr. Tip Curtis's shop an come out with about 3 or 4 real nice guns, maybe with some money left over. I don't need fancy patch boxes covering up grade 6 curl, give me a super curled rifle or fowler with NO patch box so all that curl is popping out at you.

[ohidan]

I just started collecting and shooting muzzle loaders around five years ago,before that I built and restored my own old cars and I always said I would never own a car that I would never drive,it would really P_ _ _ _ _ Me Off to get beat at car shows by people who hauled their cars around in an enclosed trailer.So when I started collecting Muzzle Loaders I decided to shoot every gun I bought as long as I determined that it was safe enough to shoot. I don't know alot of the contemporary makers talked about on this site but if I we're to have a gun built I think it would be by Warren Offenberger.I've seen a lot of his work and admire it very much and another Gentleman I'd like to mention who done very fine work is Larry Bryner who I bought an antique rifle off of a while back but is not able to build guns anymore because of a accident involving a farm tractor a couple of years ago, regardless if I ever had a custom contemporary gun built it would be shot. They ain't no fun sitting in the gun safe or hanging on the wall to me thats the same as hauling you're car around in a trailer . Where's the fun in that?

[54Bucks]

 The original post in this thread mentioned kits. I realize Kits should be a separate subject from builders of customs in the 10 K range. But I will cast a vote for Dunlaps Haines kit. I don't consider myself a builder but I was pleased with my Dunlaps Haines kit when completed. They come with the barrel channel and lock inlet as well as shaping done from butt to just ahead of the lock area. I don't know anything about Dunlaps patterns, but for a non-builder I got a very comfortable rifle off the rack with a Dunlaps kit. In the hands of a real builder a top level gun could be made from their kit.

[Dean2]

Judging from the fact their have been over 7800 viewings of this thread I would say all who contributed information are to be commended for an excellent job. I would also propose this thread be made into a sticky as an easy reference tool for people researching current builders and this question comes up a LOT on various sites.

[cahil_2]

I'd pick Dennis Priddy, Dick Miller, or Ed Henson of the Grand Valley Cap n Ballers.  You can see Dennis and Dick at Friendship building every year at the nationals.

[Bennypapa]

I noticed the topic was LATE FLINTLOCK period.  Bill Shipman and Taylor Sapergia come to mind for fine rifles closely modeled after originals.  Ian Pratt for something with more artistic license especially in iron.  Eric Kettenberg for an aged Northampton rifle.  For something really fancy a Brennan though $10K might not get it done.  Some makers who are retired or rarely build really appeal to me.  Would love to have a Freddy Harrison rifle with all the little surprises.

I came here to bring up Mr. Sapergia though my favorite rifle of his is a percussion Hawken. His work is really super.

[Virginiarifleman]

My pick is Mike Davis, studied under Hershal house. makes a nice woodbury style Rifle.

[bonron]

We, who are on the consumer side of this question are extremely fortunate. There are so many very well qualified builders available that I find it virtually impossible to pick only one. They all are great at what they do best. To pick one above all the rest is beyond my ability. Ron