Question on Rudy Etchen

[Phil C]

I am hoping to find out if Rudy or Fred Etchen ever made a custom line of Remington 870 or other shotguns with a a silver grip cap with Etchen engraved on it.
Any information or pictures are appreciated.

[OH Osthaus]

not an expert, but I think his stocks carried the cap - I don't think he "made" the guns

https://www.joeletchenguns.com/remembering-mr-870

https://www.trapshooters.com/threads...-stock.826667/

[Phil C]

Bad wording on my part. I should have said customized not made.
What ai am trying to determine is if the Etchen’s may have taken factory 870’s. Restocked them and possibly did bore and choke work, and sold these upgraded 870’s. Also installing a silver engraved grip cap.
It appears from your references that you could order the wood and install yourself.
I saw an Etchen 870 and it has prompted me to try and find out more about these.

[Bill Murphy]

Short answer, Phil, yes. He and/or Fred made stocks of the tight grip design and installed silver or silver looking grip caps with room for your name to be engraved. There is a wonderful Rudy Etchen display at the NRA museum in Oakton, Virginia. In addition to some Rudy items, some local shooters have donated or lent guns to pump up the display. Rudy was at the Arms when I was there in 1998 or 1999, but we never got to meet.

[Phil C]

Bill I assume that each gun was carved to fit the individual.

[J. Scott Hanes]

I knew and shot with Rudy from 1980 until his passing. The stocks you refer to were made by Fred with dimensions custom made for the shooter. Rudy did not make stocks. He just shot his accurately.
We became friends when I went to Shreveport, LA on my first field sales assignment and he took me under his wing. At that time, Rudy was still in the Oil & Gas business and was shooting excellent scores on the trap field. In fact, I shot with him at the Shreveport Gun Club in August 1982 when he broke 100x100 in doubles with his 870 / Etchen Special stock and Peters ammunition; a feat he first completed 30 years before with the same gun and also Peters ammo at the Grand American in Vandalia as the first to break 100x100 with a pump gun.
There is an old article from Field & Stream by Grits Greshem about Rudy and his thoughts on shooting all shotgun disciplines and in it I believe Rudy mentioned that there had been around 150 Remington 870's with authentic Etchen Special stocks and as I remember around 30 Parkers. Most would have had the silver grip caps with the "Etchen Special" notation. Not all, but most.
Rudy was a great friend personally and with Remington. My other great friend and former boss, Art Wheaton, became even closer to Rudy over the years when Art came in as VP of Marketing and Sales, as Rudy was more prominent in consulting to the CEO of DuPont and later the President of Remington. A really great guy who could be comfortable around the CEO but really enjoyed being with any shooter who wanted to 'talk guns'

[Phil C]

Thank you Mr Hanes for this great in-site. I will have a look at the gun today and share what I find.
What an opportunity you had to share time with both these great men.

[Dr Bob]

Here is a link to Joel Etchen's take on the "Etchen" stock.
https://www.joeletchenguns.com/rudys...ide-in-quality

[Trap3]

Example of an Etchen Special Silver grip cap...

[Phil C]

I went and looked at the gun this afternoon. It has the same grip cap as Randy has posted. The only difference is there is no name, city or State engraved.The 870 was manufactured in 1951.
30 inch vent ribbed barrel. Interesting there is no choke marked on the barrel.
Very nicely figured wood, Montecarlo stock with forend wood that matches the stock.
Definitely has the Etchen pistol grip.
It has a very old and mashed down two layer sponge rubber Jostam pad.
I did not note the SN but the seller said he looked it up and it was manufactured in 1951 and is Marked Wingmaster and marked 2 3/4” chambers.
Do these guns have any collectability? The seller is asking $500 which seems high but then again I haven't looked at Wingmasters for some time.