Yeah 'Tooth, I surely do believe you got a handle on it. Anyone who lives in Mennonite country knows exactly what I'm talkin' about. And take my old fullstock Hawken; no carving or inlay and even a might hefty but still a fine lookin' rifle.

Pretty is as pretty does but anyone with eyeballs knows that some pretties do it with a bit more style. I have a carved and engraved brass mounted Lancaster that a good friend built and I love hunting with it. I also have a TVM Leman who's only decoration is a brass patch box and trigger guard. Very plain wood. Patterned loosely after an example at the Museum of the Fur Trade. I love hunting with it. They're both experienced deer killers. It's not a competition. The gun I carry most often is a North West gun with a 30" barrel, 24 gauge. Plain as dirt. I love them all three.

Yessier Scoundrel, in my own way that's what I was gettin' at. Not meanin' that the fancy ones AIN'T pretty, just that the plain ones is just as pretty in their own way. Now if somebody wanted to present me with a nice rifle made by somebody such as Mike Miller I sure would be mighty happy to have that gun. But I sure would be huntin' with it too.

quote:

Originally posted by Boartooth:
And now a foray into existentialism :A plain woman is usually a beautiful woman that has better things to do than primp....so too a gun...?

Wow Boartooth, what you just said there is just PURE POETRY!! Now I got to dig out the ole Webster and see what that existentialism is all about!

That ole Boartooth, he's an edicated man fer sure!

I already looked up existentialism one time and still couldn't get what passes for my mind wrapped around it. I guess Boartooth just tipped his hand.

I use a modern copy of a Mortimer rife, it looks very elegant, but very practical and did not cost much

Heh,I like to read.....Get a couple'a brews down me and you can't shut me up....To tell the truth,I'm not really sure I've got my mind around it either.....A Mortimer,eh? I'm gonna have to look them up....

Looked 'em up.Mortimers are nice looking guns,seem to shoot well too.

I have had my eye on a used Mortimer rifle that has been sittin in this little out of the way shop for the last few years. The place is about a 125 mile drive round trip and I visit about once a year. Been surprised to see that rifle still there all this time. The first visit with that rifle had me chompin at the bit to take her home. The Mrs curtailed me. Year after year more or less the same thing. Last summer my visit put me there without the Mrs. I picked the rifle up to my shoulder. For some very strange reason, that thing got a lot heavier! That really spooked me! Can't figure how a flintlock rifle gun can put on weight! I just couldn't bring myself to taking it away from it's happy home.

I know what you mean about heavy, because of the length of the barrel mine seems to be a bit heavy front end,but the lock never fails , given a decent flint, it fires every time.

Weight is the only thing I have against my English fowler. It's flawless otherwise.

Fiddlesticks

I just engraved a gun that has an estimated value of $150,000.00. When I was in Vegas at the FEGA show the FEGA auction rifle sold for $150,000.00. I have seen guns go for $500,000.00. These guns are not bought to hunt with. They are bought for investment as art pieces. I for one do not hate the rich. Class warfare is a gimmick to keep you poor. Rich people hire and make jobs for a lot of regular people. Most rich people work their butts off. People that buy these guns make money for a lot of us. Some one has to make the parts, sell the wood, provide all that it takes to make them.
Besides all that when I sell a great gun like that which may have taken me 5 years to put together and engrave I go buy several common guns that other guys build and pay my bills. Making them is a lot less boring than making common boring guns over and over time and time again with no recognition and not much satisfaction. the old tax the rich scheme only means one thing for sure. It is a guarantee that you will never get rich and the definition of rich in such a society will continue to get lower and lower until you will be the rich because nobody will have any incentive to gain.
http://jwh-flintlocks.net/jaeg-breech-super.jpg

Thanks, Jerry. Its funny how some folks use a form of snobbery to justify their plain guns.

I own a suppressor for my ruger .22, no particular reason, no particular need, I got it simply because I "could".
so along those same lines, if I won the lottery I wouldn't mind a real fancy "picnic" rifle. gotta be a shooter though, don't want to just look at it. not holding my breath however.

I started with 2 percussion rifles purchased at a local Rendezvous for $350 for the pair. Heck, at that time, I didn't even know how to spell Rondavoo.
I own a very nicely made, full tiger stripe flintlock that was a steal for the price. Still, I had to sell a Swiss K31 carbine (1937), a 1906 (or so) Swedish M96, and a Brazilian Mauser as well as one of my banjos to buy it. And I have no regrets about getting rid of those old battle rifles for this flintlock.
However, I likely will never have one of those $2000 flintlocks, much less a $20,000 one. I do love to look at them and admire the artistry.
Ron

As I stated before, Jerry, I am comforted by knowing that such craftsmanship is still practiced, but if I could afford a $500,00.00 gun I could afford to hunt with it, and I would. Congratulations to you for possessing such skill.

Amen Scoundrel. We are so blessed to have as many gunmakers like Jerry as we have to keep the skills and traditions alive. I have no desire to strive for a fancy gun (it would take MUCH "striving" on my part) but I love to look at and truly admire the work that goes into them. I am glad that there are those out there who DO have the means to purchase such pieces.

Those relatively few who can purchase such works of art are necessary for the continuation of the skill. Even the finest of craftsmen have to eat. At least I assume they do, they may be an entirely different specie than clods like me.

If I remember correctly the reason guns were engraved in the old days was to enable the oil that was used to stay on the on the gun, if you see what I mean,
James