Folk Art?

[Mike D.]

Some "butchering" of gunstocks is unacceptable, but this funky job on this old 1886 is kinda cool. The "checkering" on the wrist isn't the best, but the job on the forend is interesting. If nothing else, the "woodwork" will draw some comments from other hunters, so I'll catch heck for it. That's OK, it still shoots straight. IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/old86/CIMG2055.jpg[/IMG]

[jeepnik]

Looks like someone took the gun and made it their own. It doesn't destroy the functionality, and as you say, makes a conversation starter. I'd like to know the story behind the work. It really is too bad that old guns can't talk. We could learn so much.

[Pete44ru]

Like most folk art, you'll either love it or hate it - I'd like to hear the story, too.

.

[Sixgun]

I kinda like it. It sure was not done in 15 minutes.

1934-1939 ?? Possibly honoring a child? -----------------Sixgun

[JerryB]

Mike is this one of your's? Do you know the history of this rifle?

[kimwcook]

Personally, I think it's pretty cool.

[Rusty]

I kind of like it

[Mike D.]

It's one of mine, it letters, and other than that it's nothing unusual. Someone's boredom, or artistic impulses, initiated the stock carving. Maybe they owned the gun from 1934 to 1939 and commemorated that time?

[dr walker]

It is clean work. I think it looks good.

[J Miller]

1934 to 1939, perhaps military service? It really doesn't look as bad as some we've had displayed here. And it did mean something to someone back in '39.

Joe

[Rube Burrows]

I like to see old guns like this. The owner prob. loved that gun and since they were tools and not looked at by the masses as collectibles he prob. wanted to add his personal touch to it. The end result is something that many years later has us talking about it and admiring it.

Its always neat to look at something others do since I dont think I could ever do that to a gun I own.

[damienph]

I could live with it, sure would like to know the significance of the dates.

[RIHMFIRE]

not to bad at all....

[Pisgah]

Really, not a bad amateur job, and clearly done by someone who valued the rifle. Of course if I were haggling over buying it, it would be the most horrible desecration I'd ever seen!

[JB]

I may be the odd man out, but I hate to see a rifle treated like that. Of course whomever owned it at the time was free to do with it as they wished.

[Mike D.]

Well, for $600 who could holler too much about it? Not me.

[Blaine]

Most anything is better than brass tacks and .."The thing in the stock that tells time..."

[Sixgun]

Well, for $600 who could holler too much about it? Not me.

You know somethin'? I am amazed at that. I see guns sometimes that are priced at half or one third of what they are worth because of a problem with the wood---something like yours or a cut down stock.

It ain't nothing to buy a junker (not easy with 1886's ) and switch the wood. I few years back I bought a 95% Model 53 takedown in 32-20 because someone put his own checkering design on it. ($400 ) As the Model 55 uses the same wood, I bought a junker 55 for $500 and switched the wood. Sold the 53 for 15 and the 55 for 5 after I sanded out the checkering.

My buddy Gary has done about a dozen of these "deals". The last one was a Model 71 he picked up for 6.-----------------Sixgun