Thanks to Michael for posting the pictures for me.
Carlyn W. Behrmann was the chief barrel maker for Niedners in the 30's. This was his personal rifle. The story follows:
When he left Niedner's in 1940 or so he took this barreled action (in the white)and for the next 15 or so years the (in the white) barreled action hung on the wall in Carlyn's leather shop. He was an expert leather worker also, specializing in fancy harness for show horses.
About 1956 his son took the rifle to Tom Shelhamer who had saved the stock blank for Carlyn all those same years
Tom finished the stock and had the gun blued somewhere around Dowagiac or did it himself, I do not know but the blue is not up to Niedners.
After sighting in the rifle was taken on a hunt to Wyoming where one shot was fired bagging a Mule deer. After that the rifle was never fired again.
Interesting also is that when making this stock Shelhamer's eyesight was getting bad as he wore 2 or 3 pairs of specticles when working on this stock.
The buttplate is case hardened and I think the brass escutcheon is Shelhamer's as I have not seen any of his fancier work that did not have them. Tom stamped his T Shelhamer under the buttplate and the #1198 is also stamped there. I don't know if he kept track of how many stocks he had done.
The only marking on the barrel are 1956 on top of the barrel and 30-06 near the chamber. I have not gotten up the courage to try to take the stock off but if I do I will post if anything interesting.
Also the checkering pattern on this stock is the same as the one on my father's 1938 Vintage Niedner. Called the "Rex O'Dell" I wonder if anyone else has one with this pattern. My father and Carlyn were cousins and both worked at Niedners in the 30's. We all lived in the Dowagiac area.
Last edited by gbehrman; 07/01/12 04:40 PM.
