JRH Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 I recently received the once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a true custom Mauser from one of the great masters. What made finding this gun most even sweeter was the fact that it was produced by Mr. Keith Stegall. (As I understand from their writings, Mr. Stegall taught Jack Belk a good deal of his knowledge...Jack it seems then passed some of that knowledge to our own ZLR!) (For background, here are a few older quotes made by Jack concerning Keith and his work...) A group of us gunsmithing students went to Gunnison, CO one time to paw and slobber over Keith Stegall's wood pile and bug him with questions. He had a rifle with him to show Mr. Steagall and ask for guidance and critique. Steagall looked it over and then pointed to the stippled area just like yours and said, "When you run out of ideas, it's best to wait on a GOOD one before doing something that's just easy and ugly." I think of that everytime I see stippling on a gun. I've held back on this thread because I spend 4 days every year with a bunch of the "best" and it's not a good idea to play favorites in a room full of rifles.......so I'm going to change the question to reflect my cowardice. How about most influential TO ME? Keith Stegall, Leonard Brownell, and Jerry Fisher. I'll start with Keith Stegall because he was the first to show me what REAL inletting, shaping, finishing and checkering *could* be. He was a grand man and opened his home and shop in many students over the years. From an anonymous contributer... In 1968 I stood in Keith Stegall's basement and looked through a couple hundred Teysseir blanks at less than $100. The pile of sho nuff exhibition blanks under the stairs went up to $150!!. You couldn't buy those blanks today for ten times that. Keith Stegall.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cold shot Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 that is one super fine work of art. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Can you post more close-ups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Can you post more close-ups? Sure, Just let me know what you are looking for....I'll start with a few I have, but if you want to see anything specific just tlet me know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Sure, Just let me know what you are looking for....I'll start with a few I have, but if you want to see anything specific just tlet me know... Beautiful rifle.I'd like to see close-ups of the metalwork. (action, bottom metal etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Beautiful rifle.I'd like to see close-ups of the metalwork. (action, bottom metal etc.) Kenak, Here are few to get started. It will take a few days before I can better pictures. (In order to get clearer pictures I will have to wait until I can take them in natural light, as the lighting in my place is not sufficient to take close up hi resolution pictures of metal without a flash. Of course I can't use the flash for most work of the work due to the reflection.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manitou Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 That is truly fine workmanship down to the last detail. Did anyone else notice the way that all of the screw slots were lined up with the long axis of the rifle? That's an old muzzle loader building technique brought over from the German Masters during the 1730's. Yes, a well built rifle. Manitou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 JRH Thanks for posting the extra photos. He sure did some nice work. Kenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 I finally got a chance to shoot the rifle last weekend while on a Pheasant hunting trip in Western Ohio. I fired standard .280 Remington brass which chambered with a nice slight "crush". After comparing the fireformed brass to some Nosler .280 AI brass it appears that what I have is in fact the .280 "RCBS" improved....(30% shoulder vs 40% shoulder in the AI) JC ......................... .280 REM.....................Fireformed Brass.................. .280 AI Nosler brass..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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