Vintage Rifles

[Brad Bachelder]

I am frequently asked if we also do Rifle Restorations, yes we do. Here are a couple of examples of Rifle work.

Brad

[edgarspencer]

This means I'm going to have to start another 'shopping list' On my recommendation, a friend sent you his Nichols & Lefever, and 1890 Winchester. They both came back looking like I felt they should, and he was ecstatic.
I have several old G&H bolt guns, built on Springfield '03 actions, as well as a couple done by Sedgely. My main rifle weakness are Winchester levers, and primarily special order '94 rifles.
Brad, do you know what became of Mike Hunter? He did beautiful Winchester barrel replacements, and had many of the original roll stamps.

[John Campbell]

Brad:
A VERY impressive display of work! The stocks are quite well done and their colour is spot on for the makers and era. I'm also impressed with the color case work. Very "correct" looking ... and not a hint of the garish stuff one often sees from some other shops.

Well done!

[edgarspencer]

Brad:
I'm also impressed with the color case work. Very "correct" looking ... and not a hint of the garish stuff one often sees from some other shops.

Well done!
X2. I have a very early CC'd receiver 1890, and I have to agree. You don't get that kind of result by accident.

[Paul Ehlers]

Brad,

Once again you've impressed me with your work. Fantastic to say the least.

It will be interesting to hear what you have to say about the Winchester I dropped in the mail to you yesterday.

[Brian Dudley]

Nice work Brad. I really like Winchester 1890s.

[Mark Landskov]

Brad is resurrecting a basket case 1893 Marlin for me right now. I will post photos when I get it back.

[Richard Flanders]

Now I know where to have my 1886 Winchester takedown resurrected! Someone bored it out to .45-90 from .33cal, cut the bbl to 16" and chopped the stock and installed a recoil pad. I want it resurrected as a .45-70 takedown carbine. It's a great little bear gun as it is but I'd rather it be restored to some original configuration. You up for that Brad? I'd just send you the receiver with no bbl or wood and let you figure it out.

I think Brad is going to be sorry he posted this one!! I can just see the flood of boxes coming into his shop!

[todd allen]

Brad definitely does nice work! I have a project to send him, as soon as the money comes around on the money wheel.
BTW, if you can track down pictures of the late Wes Adams' collection, you can see what extremely high condition original finishes look like. I knew Wes, but unfortunately did not ever get around to looking at the collection in person. (both of us always too busy)

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Todd, remember the song "cats in the cradle" life is short we have to do these things, I am guilty of the same Gary

[Rich Anderson]

Edgar you can find Mike on the Winchester collector site. I bought a pre 64 M70 carbine in 7x57 at an auction. Unfortunately someone drilled a hole through the chamber and completely ruined it:cuss: Mike directed me to someone who can help me out with a different 7x57 barrel.

It would be nice if we had a rifle forum to discuss these things. I have asked John about it several times to no avail so far. Maybe if we unite? I know a lot of us have more interests than just Parkers. I especially like pre 64 M70's and custom built rifles.

[edgarspencer]

How current is that info, Rich? I've gone looking there before to no avail. I'd like to think he's still doing his great work, and just gave up the website, but I've lost his telephone number. I'll be meeting up with a lot of the Winny people in Baltimore in March, and hope someone can get me hooked back up with him. I need a barrel job done on a great deluxe '94.

[Rich Anderson]

A month maybe a little longer. He referred me to another person for the barrel. I might still have his e mail.

It will be nice to have the 7x57 carbine serviceable and back in the deer woods. It's one of my favorite calibers.

[todd allen]

Maybe if we unite? I know a lot of us have more interests than just Parkers. I especially like pre 64 M70's and custom built rifles.
Yeah, we haven't even begun to talk about Single Action Army Colt's.

[Dean Romig]

It would be nice if we had a rifle forum to discuss these things. I have asked John about it several times to no avail so far. Maybe if we unite? I know a lot of us have more interests than just Parkers. I especially like pre 64 M70's and custom built rifles.


We have such a forum - it's called the "Off Topic" forum in the members only section.

[edgarspencer]

Just as this is known as one of the best websites for Parker people, there are great sites for the Colt people, the Winchester people, and I suspect if you look hard enough, sites for the lesser known names.
Most people who love Parkers, enjoy collecting and shooting many other types of vintage iron, but trying to merge that into this site might become unwieldy.
The only downside to the 'Off Topic' forum is that there are lots of 'forum associates', ones who might not join the PGCA because they have more interest in those other guns, wouldn't be able to express their thoughts. Still, I'd rather not see this site try to be everything for everyone.

[Dean Romig]

Thank you Edgar! I wish I could hit that "thumbs up" icon about a dozen times.

[Mark Ouellette]

Gentlemen,

If you desire to discuss fine rifles do so in the Other Fine Doubles sub-forum. If your subject grows a significant following then maybe our webmaster will reconsider and create a Fine Rifles forum.

Respectfully,
Mark

[Mills Morrison]

How about make "other fine doubles" the "other classic firearms" subforum? Hope this suggestion doesn't start a fight

[Rich Anderson]

I really don't understand what the big deal is about haveing a rifle forum for members only. IF I wanted to talk Winchesters only I'd join the Winchester Collectors group. I'd like to talk about rifles with the friends I have made here not go to some other forum.

We have subforums here that get very little attention, and the Off Topic forum as suggested IMHO doesn't get much notice.

[edgarspencer]

the Off Topic forum as suggested IMHO doesn't get much notice.

The Off Topic forum has the third highest post count of all the forums. There have been almost 100 posts in the past 10 days to Ed Good's Art Appreciation thread. That may die off eventually, but does it mean there should be a Sporting Art forum?

I love vintage rifles as much as the next guy, and mine outnumber my dozen Parkers by 4 to 1, but I haven't seen enough rifle chatter here in the few years I've been a member to warrant diluting Parker chatter. I've participated, and even started thread showing Winchesters and Colt SAAs. Like relatives and old fish, they last a few days and then they're ignored.

Wherever it is decided to discuss Vintage, or Fine rifles, I'd hope it was in the Members Only section, rather than get get a flood of one time forum associates wanting to throw in one or two comments and disappear.

[Rich Anderson]

I have always maintained that it be a members only forum.