doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Russ Ruppel update

It seems just like yesterday that the old board was at post 500 and I showed up reading about Russ complaining about the looks of Ithicas. I knew I was going to like the guy.

I am guessing we have had a quarter million posts since then and some of the most valuable insights have been from Russ. I am not giving up on our ol Curmudeon yet. I am holding him to his promise of a new LC book in 2036.

Russ, best to you and yours.

Pete

This is sad news. I have watched Russ post here for the last ten years or so and I still have not forgotton the very long strings on "round actions" and Damascus bbl construction that he argued for and against from so many years ago! He adds greatly to this forum. God bless you Russ. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Jeff

I hesitated to join in this discussion – mostly because of a conversation I had with Russ when Oscar Gaddy died. Russ was friends with Oscar & I had talked to him on the phone a few times. I noticed that Russ had not posted on the thread about Oscar’s passing, so I called him. He said that Oscar was his friend, but he was gone & nothing he said would really matter anyway – he just wanted to let him rest. Well, Russ isn’t gone so I’ll post. Maybe he’s still getting a few of these messages.

Many of the posts state that they never got the opportunity to meet Russ. Well, I was lucky enough to get to. It was April ’04 and I needed a set of barrels for a Smith. Russ sent me his list of barrel inventory and we found a match. I drove over and knocked on his door and when he opened it he said “Mr. Steele, I presume?” but there was a long pause between my name and the rest. I think he was expecting someone a little older – you could just tell from the look on his face. I was 29 at the time and we had talked a lot via email and over the phone a few times, but we had never discussed age. It was funny, maybe you had to be there – but let me tell you it WAS funny. We spent the day talking guns. Russ’ collection, at the time, was extensive. He had a 20 ga Smith that he had sleeved the chambers and made into a 28, a Syracuse Quality 3 he had found at a show with no lockplates that he added later Grade 4 locks and called it his Quality/Grade 3 ½, a Smith Hammer gun that he had sleeved with 50cal machine gun barrels to make a double rifle – the list goes on. I mention these items because I think it’s an example of the kind of guy he is. He doesn’t just like Clunkers – he IS a Clunker, no, he is THE Clunker!

Russ is a friend – everyone feels like Russ’ friend.

Best wishes Friend!

I too have met Russ. We traded on a gun, I had a Ithaca Flues 20 ga. He had a Manufrance Ideal 16 ga. For the life of me I still can't figure why he wanted that old Flues. Anyway when I showed up at his door from visiting with the in-laws in Evansville, In. He really wasn't what I expected. Little bitty man with thick glasses. Well that first impression changed quickly. He was as gracious as any double gun person I know, now. He took me to the basement to show me his collection. The man did have some clunckers, but he also had some very nice stuff. He amassed some very rare guns also, strange type actions. Anyway after that first meeting, we've had numerious conversations about double guns. If I ever asked a silly question, you can bet he would set me straight. That was just his way and I never took any personal. Because in the end I know he didn't either!
God bless........Russ

I never met Russ in person, but I spoke with him over the phone one time. It was right after Dave had switched from the old anonymous board to this one, which required an identity to log on.

On the old board, Russ had offered several of his somewhat caustic replies regarding the oft-asked question, “What is my gun worth? It has two barrels connected together beside each other and a wood stock.” Russ had received some inflammatory responses for his replies (unwarranted) and when the new board opened, he didn’t join for quite some time.

So I tracked his phone number down and called him out of the blue to urge him to participate. From what he said, I could tell that he had been deeply hurt by some of the replies. We talked for a while and soon after, he joined. I’d like to think there was a connection between our conversation and his reunion with us.

As John Mann said, “Rough on the exterior but filled with meaning and feeling on the inside.” John is very perceptive.

I pray for Russ’ recovery and his return to this venue. His knowledge and willingness to share it is what we are all about. His absence would leave a huge void.

I think I found this site in '97 or early '98.

I lurked for a while and posted a few simplistic questions. Russ was among the folks who quickly taught me to come to the table with every bit of information I could. I even learned how to post pictures to provide the mostinformation possible.

Then I posted my first "What is it worth, should I buy it question." Russ and Bill Wise (who is fighting his own health battles) were among the first to say YES!! I had learned by then that Russ knew what he was talking about. So I bought my first quality double, a W&C Scott Premier with a second set of barrels by Lindner. I hold these gentleman responsible for the unconciounable amount of money I have spent since.

A couple of years later I posted a similiar question about an Ithaca Flues and Russ instantly said NO to buying it. I didn't listen, but Russ found and sold me the parts to make it whole again.

This board is populated by good folks, but some such as Russ rise above the others.

Godspeed Russ.

Someone once said it was not for the faint of heart to ask advice from Russ. Being new to this I reluctantly summoned the courage and was very pleasantly surprised.

Over the years I have enjoyed his posts. Even though I am Parker fan I fondly remember him saying something like, "what's all the fuss about, they're just box locks!"

Godspeed Russ.

Dear Russ:

You are the reason I became a collector and enquirer into things double gun, rather than merely repeating old saws that everyone knew were true. You got me started on the Flues failure project. You sold me elephant ivory slabs at give away prices , telling me you didnt want to charge more because you got it so cheap. You had a firing pin for a 00 Grade Elsie. You had a spring for a tired Fluzie. You had an entire set of 32" barrels for a Grade 2 NID.

All of this came with a good dose of "Der Klunkermeister", comments, e-mails, and wry humor.

I pray for your peace.

Regards

Greg

Russ is a good man and he has always been my first choice for advice on American doubles. His asessments of value were always realistic and he always had an objective eye and never fell for the current hype.
He was always willing to help. I'm sure any curmudgeonliness on Russ' part was well deserved by the recipient. I don't know what else to say.

Russ coming home today,GW