doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Sharing Information.

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!