The first component rifle I built was a Lehigh County style rifle from Pecatonica. .45 caliber with a L&R Durs Egg Flintlock.
It had a color I've never been able to match. Very little red, it actually looked like dark honey.
Because it was my first and I knew less than I do now, all of the furniture and inlays were German Silver. For inlays, it had star inlays drilled for the cross pins at each underlug, plus a large star on the cheekpiece.
Anyway..., a moment of insanity took control of me and I developed a craving for a Uberti 1885 High Wall in .45-70 cal.
The craving caused me to lower my price to under $1K and I hadn't been at the gunshow 20 minutes before I had a guy who wanted to buy it but not enough cash on hand.
We made arrangements to meet later when he had the cash.
When we met, I went thru all of the procedures for loading, dis-assembly, cleaning and shooting instructions with him.
When I was finished with my discourse, with a large grin on his face he said "I'm not going to shoot this! I'm only buying it to hang above my fireplace!!"
He couldn't have said words that would have been a lower blow to me if he would have tried.
I smiled and bid him and my rifle a sad good-by.
As I watched it move away, I felt like a piece of me had left.
It's undoubtedly hanging above his fireplace, making him happy, but damn, that's not at all what I made it for.
