Blast from the past

[Mike Brooks]

I made this gun in about '92 and it turned up at auction a month ago. 42" .50 green mountain barrel, siler lock, probably a precarved Pecatonica stock.  # 37, nearly 30 years old now.

[MuskratMike]

Still looks great and I am sure still shoots fine also. Kind of like seeing an old friend.

[Stoner creek]

Brooks, do you have the stuff to load that thing? We might take her out for a spin this weekend.

[Bob McBride]

She’s a beaut Mike. Patch box is super.

[Mike Brooks]

Brooks, do you have the stuff to load that thing? We might take her out for a spin this weekend.

Yep, probably.

[oldtravler61]

  Never seen a Brooks gun I didn't like...nice work Mike...
Oldtravler

[Greg Pennell]

Let me guess...#37 now resides on Stoner Creek?  Nice catch, Wayne!

Greg

[Stoner creek]

Let me guess...#37 now resides on Stoner Creek?  Nice catch, Wayne!

Greg

It will after a weekend trip to the great cornfield.....

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

"Kind of like seeing an old friend"....that is one of the reasons I enjoy going to the annual BC Rendezvous at Heffley Creek BC.  I get to see many of the rifles I've built over the years, and there's often some surprises.  But it's like seeing your kids after a long absence.

[Mike Brooks]

"Kind of like seeing an old friend"....that is one of the reasons I enjoy going to the annual BC Rendezvous at Heffley Creek BC.  I get to see many of the rifles I've built over the years, and there's often some surprises.  But it's like seeing your kids after a long absence.

Yep, it's fun to see the ones made long ago. They always look better to me now than they did when I built them.

[ScottH]

Does not look like it was used much in the time it has been out in the world!
Almost looks like you finished it a couple months ago. Nice!

[smart dog]

Hi Mike,
It is older than 25 years so doesn't it qualify as an antique?

dave

[johngross]

Mike. No disrespect intended toward your wonderful craftsmanship, but since your rifle displays something I've been curious about for several years I would like to ask a question.

Your rifle has what I have called an off center patchbox, meaning the finale is considerably below the center line of the butt stock. When I had first seen this on an original rifle years back I thought the gunsmith made a mistake, but said to himself "the heck with it" and just left it as is. But I began to see more of the "off center" patchboxes and it didn't make sense all these different gunsmiths were making the same mistake.

So my question, is there a reason for the "off centerness", a certain time period, school, etc?

Thank you, and thanks for posting the pictures of your fine rifle, even though the patchbox is crooked.

John

[Mike Brooks]

Mike. No disrespect intended toward your wonderful craftsmanship, but since your rifle displays something I've been curious about for several years I would like to ask a question.

Your rifle has what I have called an off center patchbox, meaning the finale is considerably below the center line of the butt stock. When I had first seen this on an original rifle years back I thought the gunsmith made a mistake, but said to himself "the heck with it" and just left it as is. But I began to see more of the "off center" patchboxes and it didn't make sense all these different gunsmiths were making the same mistake.

So my question, is there a reason for the "off centerness", a certain time period, school, etc?

Thank you, and thanks for posting the pictures of your fine rifle, even though the patchbox is crooked.

John

This gun was built long ago, more than 350 guns have left my bench since I built this one so I don't recall a thing about building it.. I may have been looking at pictures of an original when I did this box. "Generally" I'll point them at the center of the wrist where it meets the comb unless the box on the gun I'm copying points elsewhere. My best advice is "refer to originals".

[Daryl]

Nice looking rifle, Mike.