doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Post-War Custom Gunmakers

Some names I would like to see more information on and pictures of their work are,

John Hutton,

Carmon & Son Longmont, Colorado

Morgan Holmes

Wilbur J Hauck

Thank you everyone for the input, very interesting. I was not around for the first half of the post-war era, and for a good part of the second half I either running around in diapers or crashing motorcycles. My impressions are based on reading dads complete collection of Gun Digests, and looking at the rifles I could at gun shows. So please, keep this in mid when reading the following. These are just my observations, please feel free to correct them as needed.

It seems to me the post war era could really be divided into three parts. The first, I would all a transition era. Lets say from 1945 thru about the early 60's. During this time scopes were becoming common place, and the modern classic style had not yet really been defined. A lot of pre-war makers were still active, and some of them I think had trouble trying to make stocks that were suited to scope use yet still attractive. Tom Shelhamer is one of these. While his workmanship is consistently very good, his post-war cheek pieces take some time to grow on you. I do not think his post-war work is as elegant as his pre-war stocks.

The second era seems to be from about the mid 60's, thru the mid 80's. By this time the modern classic style, other than a few refinements, had pretty much been defind. What we did see during this time was not so much a change in what was done, but a great increase in the quality that is was being done to. Fit, finish, detailing, and checkering all were refined to nearly perfection in the top makers work.

Once the quality was raised as far is it could humanly be, the top makers started to look for other ways to show off there craft. This is what I see as the current era. The top craftsman are doing things that are just mind blowing. In some ways I think we have gotten away from "form follows function" of the classic style, and we are doing things just for the sake of saying we did them. I certainly hope this is not taken as a criticism, as I say the work being done is just incredible, but doing something just for the sake of doing it, or using some exotic material just to show that you can, is not to my mind in keeping with the classic style.

Again, just my observations, I'd love to hear from some smiths who have been active thru this whole era who can tell me how far off base I am.

A few more names that I don't think have been mentioned yet, Dale Goens and Sterling Davenport.

Thank you everyone, this has been very informative.

John

I came late to shooting and hunting. While still going to gun shows to buy camo and ammo about 20 years ago I was surprised to meet a gentlemen at a booth at a show in white Plains, NY. He was in the basement of the County Center building surrounded by fake military pins, milsurp clothes and jerky but his wares were like none I'd seen. His name is George Beitzinger and he still makes custom guns, mostly Mausers, in Brooklyn, NY.

He worked at G&H when Joe Fugger was there, I'm not sure when he went out on his own. Michael, I'll call him again this week to see if he wants to talk.

Most of the top makers today are on the west coast, it's nice to have someone in my backyard. George's guns come up for sale, here are a few.

I have no idea what others think of his work and truthfully I have not handled enough guns by other makers to put George in a ranking, nor do I care to. But that's not what matters to me so much as George was very polite to this neophyte, took time to explain his work and gave me the peek in the door that has snapped at my heels to this day.

Gents,

Chuck Grace, Trinidad.

Good shooting.

Agreed, Chuck is a fine gunmaker and an even nicer person.

Took a Marln 39 to George Beitzinger several years ago to have scope blocks installed. Gave him a sketch to show where I wanted them. He put them where he, not me, thought they ought to go. I paid him, but have not been back.

Bob Snapp.
Regards, Joe

charlie is a friend of mine says he would like to know the history of the gun he barreled for you

does anyone have a gun made by a gunsmith by the name of grossman in the cin ohio area looking for 3006 or one of his trademark .17 calibers