After the near month long shut down here I found myself reading and posting at some of the older forums I used before.

I would like to say that this is a great place to share information and is a lot more, for lack of a better word, civilized than some of the others. It may be that a lot of us are friends away from the computer and have been for years. Most of us use our names, the real ones. I find that folks are a lot more respectful when using their real name.

Anyway thanks to Dave for a place to share what we know about and the things that we care about.

Now I'll get off my soap box. A peek at the Alaskan Circassian forest Now we can discuss if it's sensible to post pictures such as this.

Michael you are so right this is a great site. With a bunch of great members.And it is a great privilege to be a member. Whitey

More pictures please

Gary Bush

Nice Racks.

What becomes perfectly obvious from the pic is that you do have a thing for those Springfields.

How about a pic of what is under that rack?

What a beautiful collection of fine old classic rifles.
They make my Dad's old sporterized Springfield look pretty mundane!
Thank you for the look.

Nice collection and racks

This is a very enjoyable site. Like seeing and learning about "good old" rifles and makers. I dont realy know any of you guys personaly though. I like buying old rifles( when i can) and visiting the local gun estate auction shop(Little Johns) and going to the auctions. I do alittle stock making as a hobby.

Rick

Civility among good company: as rare a commodity as fine firearms, and a pair of subjects worth an occasional visit. Look forward to many more, in years to come.

Just lovely. Got any varmit guns there? Looks like at least one sneaky fat barrel.

This will give you a little better idea on how the racks are laid out. I've had a few request for more information on the rack construction. I did not make any blueprints but given some time I will post the particulars.

Not a single shot in the lot,,,,,sheesh.

Mike there are another three walls in that room, I'd bet michael has at least one long rack of SS rifles, I know he ownes some.

Harry

Michael, thanks for the pictures. Some of us don't use our real names on this site, but regular posters know who we are. Bill Murphy in MD. I will be printing this thread for the pictures of your great double level racks.

Thank you very much for sharing with us Michael. I know of few people so willing to share their knowledge and collections in an unpretentious manner. I for one live vicariously in the world of classic custom rifles through you!

I'm just happy to be in the company of gentlemen again, many of these BBS's can be trying.

Michael, thank you for the gun room tour, it breeds jealousy (very ungentlemanly).

Michael,
Are you and your wife considering adopting any sons? I know a guy in Indiana that would make a good one.
Bryndon

And below is just why Sharing is important, as MP said:

PhysDoc just tipped me off through a PM about Venice Turps from horse stores not being the "Right Stuff". After a short search I read the below thread and now am off to the Art Store.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbt...true#Post192473

Well I might have considered that option if you had been out shoveling snow in my drive this morning

Save your money, I'm just the caretaker for now, someday they will all find a new home.

I shovel snow. Just give me about 56 hours notice and I'll be there!

I'm also impressed Coca Cola was using nudity to market their product. I've always preferred it over Pepsi.

So what is the story on that Hawken or Plains rifle? I'd be interested to see more pictures of it.

Brent

I understand the poster was used during WWI with the military as the audience.

It's a 54 caliber half-stock Plains rifle. The last rifle made by my late friend Bill Fuller of Copper Landing, Alaska. For those with some background in muzzle-loaders he was the son of (slug-gun fame) Carl Fuller, California. Bill made many Hawken rifles one of which is in the Hawkem museum in St. Lewis(?).



Back in the old-days ;-) at Bill's Shop. Bill at the far right with the heavy barreled Sharps. No reproductions here.

Ever shoot it? Looks like a nice rifle from the limited view. Is it walnut or maple? Hard to tell in the photo.

More pictures are always welcome - I'm in the middle of building one, thus the elevated interest.

Brent

Michael,
Another thank you for sharing those pictures and also for answering numerous questions when one calls out of the blue.

Who was the maker of the one in the lower left rack with the ivory insert? Maybe it's the angle and lighting but the stock looks very dark.

Art

I've shot it some and can keep them in a small propane bottle offhand at 100 yards. The lock was by Ron Long don't remember who's barrel it is. Maple stock stained dark red.

This is a poor picture, remind me after the holidays and I'll take a proper one if you still have an interest.

Very nice! You should kill a moose with it! I would!

I would love to see more pictures. Particularly if it has a beaver tail cheek.

Is the lock cased or browned? Looks like it might be cased but hard to say from here.

Nice rifle!

Steve Meunier Milwaukee, WI.

It's browned just a bad picture.

Michael,
What style would you call it or what maker do you think? It appears to have some Hawken half stock design elements but then the cheek piece and trigger guard appear to be more of Kentucky style.

BrentD,
Do you have Baird's book?

I don't know if I do but I think I have seen it. Might be in the University library.

Brent

There are some very good pics of 7 rifles (both sides) in the preface. One is a pistol grip stock. It might help in you project. If you can't find it or don't have it let me know and I can maybe help out.

I would remember the pistol grip stock I think. So, I guess I have not seen it. I'd be interested in some copies of those pictures. I am looking to get a few more samples to get the proportions for the cheek right.

Thanks,

Brent

I will get you photocopies but here is a pic for now

You guys that have Baird's book there is a little Fuller information in it. Also a picture of him standing next to the shop with an original Hawken.

Harry, I know he's got single shots, I'd just like to see them,, all lined up like that!

Not so "Mad" now?

"The Michael Petrov Collection" - Going to be one hell of an auction (or series of auctions) when the time comes.

I sure hope you've got all that data you are so generous in sharing preserved in a form that will allow future researchers and custodians of these beautiful rifles to retrieve it.

I worked with several people over the years trying to make sure this is all preserved. As of about six months ago I made a deal with the McCracken Research Library, Cody, Wyoming.

They want everything and it will be available to the public. If Rudi Prusok could live to be 200 years old I would send it all to him. Problem is I have no idea who will follow him.

I've also been talking with Townsend Whelen's grandson who has been working to gather all the writings of Whelen to possible leave it to them as well. This is a monumental task, I think few people realize how much Whelen published.

Michael, I am disappointed to hear that the ivory inlaid rifle is not an Oberlies. How is the search coming for the Oberlies Springfield? I assume he built a bunch of them. Bill Murphy

Speaking of Oberlies...
http://www.hallowellco.com/john_oberlies.htm

Over the years several 1903 Oberlies have come up for sale and each time I was without gun funds. Oberlies is about the last of the pre-war makes I am searching for.

Of course there are other makers that will come along that I don't know about yet.

Thank you for the reference to the Hollowell rifle, Steven. I had noticed a reference to a Kornbrath gun at Hollowell's but had not looked over there. I am amazed to see that it is an Oberlies rifle. Does anyone know who Mr. Rutan, the original owner is? Interesting that almost all identified owner Oberlies rifles are made for Dayton customers. I bet Oberlies had to lock the gate to get any work done.

[quote=eightbore] Does anyone know who Mr. Rutan, the original owner is? /quote]
1930 United States Federal Census
Name: Marvin Rutan
Home in 1930: Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio
Age: 27
Estimated birth year: abt 1903
Relation to Head of House: Son
Father's name: David W Rutan
Mother's name: Georgiana Rutan
Race: White
Household Members:
Name Age
David W Rutan 55
Georgiana Rutan 44
Marvin Rutan 27
Leonard Rutan 22
Marjorie Rutan 20
Virginia Rutan 16
Mary Griffy 75
Jerry Dellen 70



Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
about Marvin Rutan
Name: Marvin Rutan
Birth Date: 1903
Gender: Male
Race: White
Residence City: Oakwood
Residence County: Montgomery
Residence State: Ohio
Residence Country: United States
Death Date: 4 Jul 1972
Hospital of Death: Franciscan Med Cntr Dayton Cam
City of Death: Dayton
County of Death: Montgomery
Certificate: 055309
Age at Death: 69
Certifier: Physician
Autopsy: No Autopsy performed
Marital Status: Married

I think that is statutory rape in many states.

Would be interesting to know what the family did for a living. He was only ~30 when he received the gun, it isn't inexpensive now and it wasn't then either. Wonder what he did pay for the work?

Some information on the racks. The racks were built for bolt action rifles which I build 4" on centers for each rifle. Any closer and the bolts banged the rifle next to it. If you look close at the top left end rack and the bottom right rack you will see they are cut for double barrel guns.

The back of the barrels are 4" from the wall and back of the buttplates are 5 1/2" from the wall. The distance from the bottom of the rifle slot to the top is 36". I don't like dragging a rifle through a small , or large hole, so I notched the boards and built a swinging bar to keep the rifles in the rack during an earthquake.

Not sure what other info would be helpful, have a question, just ask.

Well this is about the the last picture of the gunroom, and messy.

Like the alarm system, the valt-door combination and the contents of the drawers I'll leave to your imagination.

If your in town give me a call and we can "Play Guns".

Have the racks been earthquake tested? They are very nice to say the least. Nice collection fore sure!

Well, not today!

http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/recent/sub/index.html

Damn, what more can be said.

Just checked again and there has been 168 quakes since xmas eve. I never knew there were so many. You only hear about the bug ones and I guess the little ones make the big ones less likely.

hope you never really have to test the racks

Just bringing this thread to the top again so we can have another look at these gun racks.

Sorry that all of the pictures have disappeared. In anticipation of building my own room, I printed Michael's pictures of the gun racks. I used a two level system similar to Michael's and, as of today, everything is in place. Thank you MP, for all the help with my room. We miss you so much. Your friend, Murphy