Another magnificent piece of the gunsmiths art.

See:- http://www.hallowellco.com/hensley%20heilmann%2017%20hornet.htm

Please get a towel to soak up the drool, paper tissues won't make it.

Harry

I'm probably giving away my low breeding but that gun just doesn't do much for me. It sure is well done, but even for 1% of the asking price, I don't really think I would bite. It's so far over the top, I can't appreciate it I guess.

I'm probably revealing my low breeding and rednecked education I suppose.

I wonder it has ever been shot?

What a piece of work.

IMO half as much gold would double the beauty. Regards, Joe

A beautiful piece of work I am sure from some of the best, but I too am at odds with some of the features.
I realize it is a 'miniature' but the butt stock looks a bit too lean for my tastes. The whole package looks too slim to my eye, but thats just me. I understand the English single shot rifle look & the fact that it is a miniature but this one just took the diet a bit too far IMHO.
It needed a scope I guess for the caliber, but I wouldn't have picked the caliber and wouldn't have picked that particular scope mount base. It looks too bulky for lack of a better term on top of that trim action.
I don't care to the final effect of the engraveing /case coloring/ gold inlay/ grey tone finish. I'll bet it looked much better in the white. Perhaps a French grey finish would have done better on it.
I guess I won't be sending in my 28k for it.
Just my .02 and it ain't worth that!

I don't know a lot about scope rings or mounts. What type of scope mounts are on this rifle. It states that they are "custom". Are the QD rings something that can be purchased or are they custom made too? How would the scope return to zero if it were removed and put back on again?

With less flash, and some minor changes in the stock and barrel, I would like it even better, but generally I think it's a nice looking gun profile.

The scope mount looks like a copy of the G&H/Brownell/Kimber/Talley design, made in the proper scale to match the small-dia tube of the scope and overall dainty size of the rifle. Yes, I'm sure they are entirely bench-made custom items specifically for this size rifle, but similar mounts and rings are available for full-size scopes and rifles and the steel dovetail system allows return to zero within 1/2 MOA or less, by actual shooting test. I like this design and use it often on my own projects.
Regards, Joe

From decades - generations - back I recall a miniature Farquharson by I think Westley Richards in .22-3000 or R2 with a stock that looked very much late Shelhammer, Monte Carlo cheekpiece and fillet behind the grip cap. Think I saw it at Abercrombie & Fitch. No doubt it is still around.

Are there any metalsmithing books that discuss the fabrication of custom scope mounts and bases. I would like to know more about them. Thanks

I have been fortunate to have been the custodian of that piece for several years. No, never fired, it was a rook rifle when made. The dimensions are deceptive because only first hand do you recognise how small an action/rifle it is, the butt, without the longish pistol grip would render it effectivly a boys rifle, the rings were made to mount the one off rail. The action, when discovered, was in deplorable condition. It should be remembered that it was intended as an ACGG colaboration to highlight, Steve Heillman metalwork, Darwin Hensley woodwork, and Terry Wallace engraving essentially becoming a "skills" excercise if you will.
What was rather interesting about the action, is that it is a "takedown" if you will, the tang,trigger,hammer, slide away from the basic frame, pretty neat late 1800's stuff. The adornment you either like or not but as a fan of engraving, it does'nt get much better.

Tim, thanks for the note. It is a fantastic demonstration of gunmaking skills, but much like the 14 caliber minimauser (mouser?) in the Minneapolis Art Museum show, it just doesn't hit my buttons. Everyone has their own interests and preferences though and that keeps it all interesting.

Some of the most beautiful rifles I've seen in pictures have been posted here by Michael. They are not only exquisitly executed but they, in no way, sacrifice function. And that, to me, is ultimate beauty.

I can appreciate that immense amounts of time and ability went into that gun. But for me, it has to shoot. A lot.

I guess I'm just a curmudgeon though.


Brent

BrentD, well frankly I'd probably agree with you about 99.9% of the time but this is one of those "gun as art" things that occaisionaly sane people become infatuated with and since I was able to trade in part foe a fairly rare gun I had, also unfired, well you can see where this is going.
Typically it better shoot and be reasonably accurate.Actually I have a .14Walker hornet and it is lots of fun to make 14gr slugs go 4000fps. with 10 grains of powder.

You hear the stories of folks that win the lottery and 3 years later they're broke? Guns like this would be my downfall... Spectacular and worthy of envy, whether it is ever shot or not.

Twelve years ago I bought a low mileage two year old car for twenty eight grand and its now worth two.
My wife would ok a second hand black CLK Coupe Merc with cream leather at twice the price of that rifle like a shot but I don't know how I could convince her regarding that rifle.
Probably say I had several like it already.

Nero,

That only goes to prove that wives simply have no money sense. If you had spent 28 grand on a rifle twelve years ago, it is very likely to be worth twice that now. Buy her a cheap car and an expensive rifle, after a few years she may come to appreciate the error of her ways.

Harry

Harry, the annoying thing is she is generally right and can also remembers things that I have long forgotten. Like the colour of my tie when we first met or where we went on our first date and who paid as I had left my wallet at home.
My wife can even remember how many years we have been married!
Regards, Roly.