The $54,000 flintlock rifle

[doverdog]

Here is a picture of the rifle made by Jud Brennan for Dr. Gordon Barlow, reported to cost $54,000. There was approximately $8000 worth of gold and silver used in making the gun, so I guess labor was a bit extra. The price did not include the bag, horn, knife, and hawk. My gunmaker friend, Ron Luckenbill, has this copy in a frame hanging on his shop wall, kind of like a "fantasy centerfold" of something to strive for. It's a nice gun but it costs about $200 more than I would pay. ::

 

[john s mosby]

I could almost swing that with my Social Security. Ha

 

[longshot47]

I see it, but my imagination is strugglin to digest it. Absolutely staggerin!

.....now, where do I send my check?

 

[doverdog]

You can send the check straight to me and I will take care of it. There are no refunds and the wait time is currently 37 years. All kidding aside, that beautiful gun will probably go through eternity without ever having a shot fired through it. It is probably classed more as a piece of art than a firearm. :boohoo:

 

[jim gray]

that beautiful gun will probably go through eternity without ever having a shot fired through it.

It is a beautiful piece of work, but if you can't shoot it, why build a gun, and if you are afraid to shoot it why buy it. I doubt that with a starting price that high that you'll get much from an investment standpoint, unless the builder is obliging enough to gain one heck of a reputation and then die without building very many. It would drive me crazy to own a gun and not shoot it though.

If the rifle is $54,000 the hawk shouldn't be more than $5000. Just something to think about if the rifle doesn't fit into your budget.

 

[Bald Baron]

It is a beautiful piece of work...art work. Truth be known it probably took more time to finish than some painting that sells for twice that much.

 

[Stumpkiller]

How's it shoot?

I'd probably just nick it all up falling over some old barbed wire anyway.

Now, $54,000 is enough to get you some useful acreage hereabouts. THAT would be worth having.

 

[Mossyrock]

You know, for some reason I have a hard time picturing myself taking that into a rainy, snowy, cold PNW rainforest after elk....but that's just me. :shake:

 

[vradin]

There was approximately $8000 worth of gold and silver used in making the gun,

Beautiful piece of work, looks wonderful, Even the patchbox cover is grain-matched to the stock (enlarge it to check- wow). Great inspirational piece of work, something to work towards, in small doses. BUT... You can barely see the wood through all them foofaraw dowhackies. Maybe it's just me, but I like to let the wood speak for itself, and might consider saving the froofy stuff for a more simply-grained stock.

Not that I would turn down the offer to have it in my cabinet, or take shooting for a year or ten.

vic

 

[Tahquamenon]

Well if I had the coin or access to Bill Gates account, I would buy something like this.

The top of the financial food chain would but it. These folks spend millions on a house, I'm sure 54K would not break the bank for a rifle to look at but never shoot.

Really beautiful rifle. A fine example of excess.

 

[Stumpkiller]

There was just a story in Reader's Digest. One of the DuPont family had their Florida home burglarized a while back. The burglars held them at gunpoint and took an $8 million coin collection (uninsured) and a Cadillac. The DuPont's abandoned the $12 million home, as it was obviously unsafe (they having neglected to lock the door or turn on the burglar alarm system ), and also the Cadillac; didn't want it back - bad memories you know. Though, they did donate the home at least to a local college.

Now, wouldn't it be nice to be able to walk away from $20 million in assets and rebuild elsewhere?

Still some very famous, very valuable one-of-a-kind coins floating around somewhere. Check your pocket change. ::

 

that beautiful gun will probably go through eternity without ever having a shot fired through it.

It is a beautiful piece of work, but if you can't shoot it, why build a gun, and if you are afraid to shoot it why buy it. I doubt that with a starting price that high that you'll get much from an investment standpoint, unless the builder is obliging enough to gain one heck of a reputation and then die without building very many. It would drive me crazy to own a gun and not shoot it though.

If the rifle is $54,000 the hawk shouldn't be more than $5000. Just something to think about if the rifle doesn't fit into your budget.

$54,000.00 wasn't the "starting price" on this rifle,.... it's the price the rifle sold for, and it was bought as an "investment"!!

Jud is known nationwide for his contemporay rifle build'n ablities, as he makes everthin "himself". He has won 1st. place at Dixon's so many times, thet he has removed himself from the competition in order for other builders to have a chance at win'n.

His build'n ability is beyond reproach, and folks are more than will'n to pay the extra money for the weapons he builds.

I asked him once, why he never attends "shoots",.... his answer was,... "he couldn't afford one of his own rifles, so he didn't have anythin to shoot"!! :haha: :haha:

He usualy has an inexpensive $8000.00 rifle (or two), thet he takes to the Pattie Center Gunshow in fairbanks,.... if anyone is interested in see'n his "work" up close!! :applause:

YMHS
rollingb

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Never cared for loud and gaudy harlots, no matter how expensive.

 

Anybuddy thet thinks Jud's "creation" is over-priced, should git out ther tools and forge, spend close to a year make'n such a "masterpiece" as a full time job,.... then "re-think" any lack of appreciation for such an elegant firearm!! :crackup:

YMHS
rollingb

 

[flaming canvas]

That was $54000 7 years ago.

I wish I could do that kind of work. :cry: :cry:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

The Arabs and others in that neck of the woods flipped out over ten miles of silver and gold wire, ivory, mother of pearl enlays, jewels and such in their firearms.

 

[Okwaho]

For the reasons given by him I concur with rollingb on Jud's rifles. While I haven't seen the one he built for Gordon, the pictures speak volumes.There is another factor to be considered here.Several years ago really fine contemporary rifles were not as prevalent as they are today and the original Golden Age Federal period and earlier rifles weren't nearly as expensive as they are today.It was possible to buy a nice relief carved rifle with a fine engraved box by a famous maker such as Beck,Eister,and Sell for less than $20,000.Today is far different.Really fine early or Golden Age rifles in fine condition start about $25-30,000 or more if signed by a noted maker and the sky seems to be the limit.I remember a rifle that sold for under $30,000 15 years ago which would bring about $ 90-100,000 today and the list goes on.What happened,of course, is that a large segment of Kentucky collectors were effectively frozen out of the market and turned to the contemporary guns by quality makers such as Jud.The gun shown here is an exceptional gun by an exceptional builder and along with others of high quality have filled the gap and they are being collected as early guns were 10-15 years earlier.Allied with the concept of investment is the ability to tie up a large sum of money into one or a few great guns which can be disposed of much more quickly and easily than a large collection where you sell off the sheep and then wait to sell the goats.I know a gentleman who has one really great old gun and if he had to dispose of it could do so with ONE well placed phone call.Think how long it would take to sell 15-20 average rifles either old or contemporary and you will see what I'm talking[url] about.In[/url] 1961 Joe Kindig offered me from his trading stock an unsigned George Eister for $2,000.I was 28 and very much a novice. When I told him I couldn't afford it, he asked how many guns I had. I told him I had about 8-10 mostly average Winchesters. His reply was "Sell all you own and buy one pearl of great value", well I don't what those Winchesters are worth today but the Eister is worth about $10,000 and I wish I had bought it.
That is why you are seeing the better contemporary guns by Jud, Kettenburg, Emig, House, and others so high priced.People want the best they can afford and when the old guns go through the roof they will turn to comparable{and often better} quality of contemporary rifles and accoutrements.
Tom Patton :imo:

 

[bob1961]

You know, for some reason I have a hard time picturing myself taking that into a rainy, snowy, cold PNW rainforest after elk....but that's just me. :shake:

if i was to pay that much fer a rifle it's going to be used :huh: :what:....and it would most likely raise the price per pound fer deer meat i did in a post not to long ago :cry:...............bob

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Of course, if those mostly average Winchesters were '66s, '73s, '76s '85s, "86s, '92s, '94s or '95s, their value has risen to an astonishing level,too. Like you, I'd rather have a fine old long rifle, but it's true that everything costs way more than it used to. Those Winchesters are probably worth a lot more than five times their 1961 price. Who'd have ever thought it?

 

[Tumblernotch]

Same here. Iffen I had aholt of that gun, it would be shot. A gun of any kind ain't worth a hal'penny to me if I can't touch her off. I can understand (I think) if somebody wants one as a collectable or investment and this one is a piece of art, but that's not me. I would still want to use it, at least once in a while at the range.