doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com The ACGG bench:

I had the pleasure of sitting with Jerry Fisher at a NRA banquet about 11 years ago. After shaking hands with him I made a mental note not to wash my hands for at least two weeks, just in case some of that talent rubbed off. A true gentleman, I feel very privileged. Bill

Being a floundering gun tinkerer, I find the work of the true artisan gunsmiths just amazing. Anyone that has tried to do any of this type of work only appreciates the great work more.

Barry, great pics. You'll have to share some of your still-life pic skills with us sometime.

Wow. What fantastic work and incredible pictures! When will Mr. Hands publish a book of his work and his pictures of the ACGG artisans?

In every occupation, we stand on the shoulders of others that went before us. Some of those individuals great ideas have become common place to those who came behind. For myself, I have benefitted from those who came before. Jerry Fisher, Duane Wiebe, Leonard Brownell, Dale Goen, Monty Kennedy, Darwin Hensley, David Travallion, Alvin Linden, G & H, Winchester. L.C. Smith, A.H. Fox......you get the picture. None of the current firearms we shoot would be possible without men and women of talent and imagination...and not any of them less important than the other. Those who have become well known are no less important than those who have not. Each gave/gives hours of hard work to accomplish a goal set before them. Whether in a factory or a single work bench.

In 1981 Kimber Industries/ Kimber of Oregon needed unskilled labor to produce gunstocks. I qualified for the unskilled part. I now am proud to associate myself with the members of the ACGG as a stockmaker. Their common goal is to encourage the production of excellence in form and function. Each member is known for their desire to encourage others to excell and make sure the eye candy doesn't become a think of the past. As in all things...people are people...you may not get along with a particular individual. That doesn't lessen the level of craftsmanship learned or displayed.

Dan Cooper went another way. He too is a Kimberite. Five former co-workers went with him to form a company that is known for excellence in their product. They too have people that are unknown working behind the scenes. They work hard just like the rest of us. Kimber of America still calls on former Kimberite people and others to improve their product and bottom line. They too have people known only to their co-workers.

If it were not for the encouragement of Darwin Hensley and others in the ACGG I would not have focused on becoming better at my craft. I could have found another occupation to feed my family. Each member of the ACGG has been helpful and giving of their time and information. (Try getting that from the Old World without blood, sweat, and tears.) David Travallion and Jack Rowe are the exceptions to that rule.

Back to the original idea...we stand on shoulders...Kimber used Leonard Brownell, Duane Wiebe, Darwin Hensley, Jack O'Conner, and many others to guide the development of Kimber quality. They learned from others and were in turn originators of ideas not seen before or improvements on other ideas. Men and women like them have raised the bar of what is considered "Custom" today. Others now have taken up the challenge of excellence. It may not be your idea of what you like. If not, find someone who will make for you what you need and support them. Without your support the industry dies!

Thanks guys, Chuck, my ole bottle o' red buddy, and Dennis, I really appreciate the kind words about Jerry's work.
The pics I take currently with a fuji finepix 700, an inexpensive, but good cam. On most of these pics, I am using flourescents stood on end on each side with a black cloth behind. The Rifle is muzzle down on a steel rod in the muzzle, stuck in a block of wood, I have different rods for different calibres, and the block and rods were made by Fisher!
I photograph quite a few guns for Fisher, trevallion clients and Helgeland amongst others.
Sometimes I send out my own work to others to photo, as a third party can have a different view. I recently had some great pics done by Steve Hughes.


here is another pic of the 300 mag

I know I'm going to catch some flack...but that scope and rings are an abomination setting atop that gun.

JoE hit the mental IgNoRe BuTtOn my friend.

A couple of pix of a Fisher .220 Swift on a FN single shot action with bottom metal (such as it is) bench made by Jerry. A very cool rifle made about 10+- years ago, no engraving. For those that are in tune wih bolt rifles, this one help inspire Fishr to create his proprietary round body bottom metal for Mauser & M-70, the MacNaughton, Dickson of bolt rifles. (Also note that grip cap that Barry so nicely embellishd is a proprietary Fisher item.)



Also a recent pic of one of Barry's, you may see a similar version on a magazine cover in the future. (Steve Heilmann sideplated Ruger #1 in .35 Whelen.)

Barry,
Proof that it ain't the stick, but who's swingin' it. Amazing pics can be made from the inexpensive equipment available today. Lighting, composition, technique, and subject matter, was, is and always will be what photography is all about.

Ahh, the Montana gun cartel, eah?