doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Al Biesen Mauser 98 30-06

I am picking this up this coming week. A custom Al Biesen Mauser 98 in 30-06. It's a "one family" gun... ordered in 1952, delivered in 1955. With the rifle are several pages of correspondence between the customer and Al... some of the "back & forth" is pretty interesting. Nothing I've read mentions who did the engraving. Anyone familiar with any engravers known to have collaborated with Al Biesen back in the 1950's? The bear on the floorplate began life as a $20 gold piece...it was done by Sid Bell. The customer wanted a "Gartman" barrel and Al obliged. It has the Neidner designed trap buttplate (Al discusses in the correspondence how he had to start making them due to sourcing issues)

Work of art.

Very nice rifle. Back in the late 1970's my uncle and Al were close friends, so when I visited him in Spokane we went over to the shop and met with Al and had lunch. When Al learned I was practicing engraving he shipped his brand new, never used GraverMeister to me to use and play with. Well I never became much of an engraver but the day I spent with Al was a treat that I have long remembered. (Lots of stories and BS over lunch)

I wish I could help you on the engraver question, however I would contact Biesen Custom Guns and maybe Paula can help you out. She is Al's daaughter and was the engraver part of the family. Both Al and Roger have passed.

I live north of Spokane... I've been to their shop too. Was even fortunate enough to purchase parts & pieces when they sold off the remaining shop contents. I'm going to try to meet up with Paula when I get the rifle...

Very NIce. You can really see the Linden influence in Biesen's early work.

John