doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com AO Niedner stock work

Wondering if anyone has any examples of Niedner's stock work, prior to Shelhamer doing his stocks? Was his work pretty decent, pretty poor, or something in between?

I'm not sure when Shelhammer started working for Niedner. I believe there were other stockmakers employed at the Dowagiac shop. This rifle chambered in .25 Roberts has a barrel by Sukalle and was made by Niedner in 1929 or 1930.

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Shelhamer started in 1924, and I thought he was the first in house stock maker that Niedner hired?

The reason for my question is regarding a early Niedner gun that has a very ugly stock on it, which looks as if it might be done by either a gunsmith who wasn't a stock maker, or a hobbyist stock maker.
Was hoping someone might have a Niedner with a serial number on the barrel that dated it to before 1924, and help determine if Niedner just didn't do good stock work, or might show examples of pre 1924 stock work from Niedner's shop.

I have a photo somewhere of a Malden Niedner rifle, which has a prettier stock than mine.

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Here it is. It comes from Michael Petrov;

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mjpetrov/media/New/-_zps8ebd72b8.jpg.html

If I recall correctly, Niedner sometimes sold barreled actions
and also rebarreled rifles, just because it has Niedner on the barrel, I don't think it means that the whole rifle was done in his shop.

Thanks! That helps a lot. I can't imagine this stock was done by anyone of Niedner's quality, so this helps.

Thanks. I see lots of examples of nice stock work on Niedner guns. Just needed some info that might indicate if he did any himself, and what quality it was.

My father and uncle worked along side Shelhamer for years at Niedners and there was no other stockmaker. Most likely he would have worked to customers specs or it only came in for other work, rebarreling etc.

I have a BSA Martini action with a A O Niedner barrel #634 and T. Shelhamer stock #26. Archives show the barrel was made in 1928, but not sure if the stock was done the same time. No info on Shelhamer's numbering system or how many he made.

I received a letter from ShelHamer shortly before he died. He stated that he began numbering stocks after he left Niedner's. Also said he had made 300-odd stocks since Niedner's.