Dave Dodds

[Eric Kettenburg]

Hey whoever just bought the Dave Dodds Reading rifle from Brad on the CLA site got the deal of the freaking century!

[Stoner creek]

Agree! I should have jumped on that one.
Can’t have em all!

[ohiostate]

I am the lucky guy.  I owned this gun before. 
I was down in North Carolina on business and was about one hour drive from , old age I can't think of his name, the lock guy.  I drove over to his shop and this gun was on the wall for sale.
Dave was selling his gun to help finance his move to Pennsylvania to work for Getz.  I bought it right then and there.  Can't remember why I sold it, dumbness I guess.
Eric, one of the finest guns I ever owned was a plain Reading gun you made, 38" barrel.  The guy who bought it had you add a patchbox and more carving. Selling it was  dumbness again. If you ever want to make another one, let me know.

[P.Bigham]

Confused who built it Eric or David Dodd’s?

[ohiostate]

Sorry if I confused you.  The gun I just bought is the David Dodds.  I was just commenting on a gun of Eric's I had owned once, at the end of the paragraph.

[Eric Kettenburg]

Hey ohiostate - I'm not sure I remember what gun you mention, but I'm really happy that someone bought Dave's rifle who truly appreciates just how fantastic his rifles actually are.  He absolutely had a mastery of the early Reading-area style, in fact I don't think anyone could do it better either then or now.  Also, he was probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met in my life.  I just wanted to post to keep his name 'out there' because he was a spectacular gunsmith and a spectacular guy who always made everyone feel like they were an old friend.

[ohiostate]

Eric, I agree with you, Dave was a wonderful guy.
Your gun I mentioned was an early Reading, stained light, 38" barrel, early lock, just carving behind the cheekpiece.  I can't believe it but I bought it on Track of the Wolf.  I was able to track down the owner, he writes Portals in Time, as I wanted to try and buy it back as it was my wife's favorite and has since passed away.  He had sent it back to you to add a matchbox and more carving.  He was willing to sell but I liked the gun in its original form, very plain.

[Keith Zimmerman]

I saw that and thought, "That guy got a heck of a gun.  Wish I had that to go with my Dodds rifle."  Congrats to the buyer.

[Levy]

Dave Dodds shared a room with Rich Pouncey and I at the CLA Show for the last few years before his death.  He was a lot of fun to be around.  Rich was a big fan of his guns and I think his family still has 4 of his pieces.  Rich passed away last year on Veteran's Day.  James Levy

[Dennis Glazener]

Dave Dodds shared a room with Rich Pouncey and I at the CLA Show for the last few years before his death.  He was a lot of fun to be around.  Rich was a big fan of his guns and I think his family still has 4 of his pieces.  Rich passed away last year on Veteran's Day.  James Levy

James,
My friend Larry (aka Bluelight) and I ate dinner one night after the CLA show with you, Billy, Rich and David Dodds. I think it may have been the last year David attended the CLA show. That was the first and only time I met David, he seemed to be a heck of a nice guy. I miss seeing and talking history/genealogy with Rich. Those of you familiar with the Short Pump area of Henrico County will recognize Pouncey Tract Rd. I always wondered where the name came from, Rich solved it for me. It was the road to his ancestors tract of land back in the late 1700's, hence Pouncey Tract Road.
Dennis

[BJH]

I miss Dave, besides being one heck of a gun builder he was a extradinary squirrel hunter. He could stand like a statue. With no apparent movement, suddenly boom, his rifle would bark and down comes a squirrel I never even saw. Man did he love to hunt. I miss visiting Dave And Cathy. BJH

[Mike Brooks]

Dave was a LRRP in Vietnam. He told me some wonderful stories of that experience over the years I knew him. Great guy.

[Levy]

I think David's cancer was the result of his exposure to some Agent Orange in Vietnam.  Rich Pouncey wanted David to make him a copy of his personal rifle (Reading .40), which he did.  David said that Rich could have whichever one he wanted and Rich chose David's personal rifle, which the family still has.  James Levy

[J. Talbert]

Y’all got me all curious now.
Anybody got any pictures?

Thanks,
Jeff

[art riser]

https://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2010/07/david-dodds-personal-tribute.html

[J. Talbert]

Thanks Art,
I’m familiar with Dave’s work.
I was curious about the one that just sold.

Jeff

[andsam1976]

Very talented, made great guns