Too Pretty to shoot

[TFoley]

I had what you would call a heritage long rifle for a while. Made by Peter Gonter in Lancaster County, it was a .50cal piece with no great amount of decoration, or fancyhoodshipness, but it was very elegant in a workmanlike way, from end to end - IOW, made to be shot. I reckon that I must have put around 80 - 100 shots down it before it was stolen - no doubt to order - at a show-and-tell gun show while I was in the chow line. The heavy-duty bicycle cable securing it was cut through, and it was gone, along with a contemporary powder horn.

To this day I wish bad things to happen to the thief, of a permanent nature, and wish to goodness that I hadn't waited until the last few months of ownership to shoot it, but such is the nature of getting even a genuine antique like that authorised here - in my case, eleven months.

If I had a great-looking piece like yours, I would probably had shot it smoothbored by now, had it been a rifle. It would be a feature of each and every guest day we ever held.

 

[towgunner11h]

I am laughing thinking about Private Tommy being issued that musket.

 

[Art Caputo]

If it was made to shoot.........Shoot it.

 

[toot]

the wood is on a par with any EMPIRE PERIOD FURNITURE!!

 

[toot]

where does the beauty in wood come from?

 

[Eric Krewson]

One thing that keeps me from buying a top notch custom gun from one of the great builders on this forum is it would bother me to ding it up. I will stick to my homemade guns that all have a host of forest dings and character on them.

 

[rickystl]

I'm not schooled well enough to identify different wood. But I don't recall ever seeing this type of wood - on a gun anyway. Have no idea what you would call it other than the suggestions posted here. It does appear to be a nice re-stock. It certainly has eye appeal. Interesting and beautiful wood. Cool gun.

While at the Antique Arms Show in Baltimore 3 years ago, I was at the Dunlap Woodcrafts booth selecting a European walnut black for a custom build. While there, Wayne Dunlap was showing me a Maple blank he had for sale. It was the most beautiful piece of curly maple I have ever seen. The curl was so tight and perfectly spaced end to end. Even Allen Sandy came over to look at it. Wayne said that on a very rare occasion, every 5-6 years he comes across a piece of maple like this. He was asking $1,000.00 - for a blank. But I'm sure someone bought it.

Zonie: That's a lot of silver inlays !! But, it looks very "right" on that rifle. For me, it would probably sit for a year till I worked up the courage to shoot it. LOL
Beautiful rifle indeed.

Rick,

 

[Ames]

When I was in my furniture building days we would order it from Ohio, labeled Tiger Stripe at that time.

 

[Hawk78]

Man, that is a pretty and cool gun. I would enjoy hunting and fishing with it and not worry too much abut scratches or what not. You can still hunt and be careful with it but it is unenviable to get dings and scratches.

 

[tnlonghunter]

No such thing as too pretty to shoot. Now, I might be more choosy about when and where I shoot something like that, but it'll still get shot.

 

[JeffG]

While I don't have any guns too pretty to shoot, I understand your dilemma. Too pretty not to clean thoroughly after shooting, would be my approach.

 

[Jay]

The only thing too pretty to shoot is my wife.

Thanks a needed a good Chuckle

 

[52Bore]

My phylospy is they are weapons and made to shoot and enjoy. Art seems to be an overused modern term derived over the past 1/2 century. We are caretakers for a generation and must take care of them for the next.

 

[Shooter1]

I've got a piece of art also known as a 20 ga flintlock. Splurged and purchased while undergoing chemo and couldn't even pick it up (too weak). Stronger now but still haven't had it out. SOON it will need cleaning !!!

 

[bubba.50]

Occasionally you come across something somewhat out of the ordinary. When I do, I usually pick it up. This was one of those times. I've owned it for years but I have only fired it a few times - mainly because it is so unique and pretty and I don't want to scratch or ding it. Have any of you experienced the same problem, or is it just me?View attachment 45733View attachment 45734View attachment 45735View attachment 45736View attachment 45737View attachment 45738View attachment 45739View attachment 45740

My philosophy is if you just want to look at guns get a photo album. You can fill it full at minimal expense and pack many many more in an economy of space.

 

[Belleville]

Paint the wood black and go ahead and shoot it. Then you won't notice the fine wood in the stock.

Sort of reminds me of a WII combat Marine that I used to work with, who sorted thru the M1 carbines to find a nice curly maple stock on which he had 7 coats of hand rubbed finish. One day a Jap got a hand grenade in on him, It wounded him pretty bad and blew the curly stock in two, He said that he used what was left of the carbine to finish him off and then passed out.

 

[Cobra6]

I'm an ole guy. I have lots of battle scars, two teeth missing and a dent on my nose. I also have two bad knees. I think it gives me character.



Cobra 6

 

[Billy Boy]

Occasionally you come across something somewhat out of the ordinary. When I do, I usually pick it up. This was one of those times. I've owned it for years but I have only fired it a few times - mainly because it is so unique and pretty and I don't want to scratch or ding it. Have any of you experienced the same problem, or is it just me?View attachment 45733View attachment 45734View attachment 45735View attachment 45736View attachment 45737View attachment 45738View attachment 45739View attachment 45740

Reminds me of my first wife; you need to put some dings, scratches, dents, and turn it into something truly beautiful....just say’n....

 

[Ames]

Been there. Done that.
She just got worse....................

 

[Bob McBride]

Like Pawpaw said, “If you’ve got time for purty, you ain’t workin hard enough.”