I put this on another forum so some of you may have seen it there, but I think there are a few more people over here on this site that appreciate these old rifles so thought I'd put it here as well.

Another by one of the more lesser known smiths John Hutton. His 15 Minutes of fame was being pictured on the cover of the January 1939 issue of the American Rifleman. Hutton worked for Griffin and Howe for some time, then for Whelens national Target and Supply. There is a thread herethat has a really neat shortened model 70 in Hornet that was also done by Hutton.

The below rifle was built on a NRA sporter barreled action. It has a Noske scope in Neidner mount. Engraving is not signed, but several who know engraving much better than I have opined that it is Kornbrath, but you know how that is. If he cut all the engraving he was credited with, he was one busy man.
Much of the Hutton work I have seen, which admittedly is not a lot, has been very similar. This rifles does have a Schnabel forend which is the only one I have seen with that feature, but other than that and the checkering is very similar to other Hutton rifles. Speaking of the checkering, it is about the only thing I don't really care for on this rifle. If I were the customer I would have specified Hutton's usual point pattern.

I do not have a picture of it, but all the Hutton rifles have his name stamped in the inletting. This one is on the flat behind the recoil lug.

Michael Petrov has a chapter on Hutton in the second volume of his book. If you look at the pictures of his rifle you can see the similarity in styling to the one below.

Regards,
John

That is a really, really nice rifle. One of the nicest stocks, especially grip shape, that I have seen. To my eye, it seems as though the comb is high, as if the scope was intended to be the primary sighting method. How functional is the aperture sight? Of course, I'm not a collector, but this one stands out to me.

I agree that the checkering pattern would not be my choice either, but still very nice and I like the uniqueness.

Is is a .30-06 still? What power is the scope?

Congratulations on an exceptionally nice rifle.

I don't think it's kornbrath because of the moose and the rosettes around the screws but I have been wrong before

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing! Great photo quality as well…I miss seeing posts like this.

What kind of buttplate does this rifle have? Any consistency with his other rifles?

The front sight is really cool with the shaping along the side of the ramp.

Congrats on a wonderful rifle!

-Tom

The engraving and metal checkering stands out to me, and is just outstanding!

Thanks for sharing this gun with us.

The gun seems to be in exceptional condition. Even the very fine extra shadow line on the edge of cheek piece seems to be without a nick or dent anywhere. The schnable is immaculate. Do you know anything about the history of this rifle? It was obviously well cared for.

Beautiful rifle. Thanks for sharing.

The high ramp front sight, coupled with a long slide 48S, would make this rifle comfortable to shoot with iron sights as well as the scope. I have always thought that Hutton was the "Old Man" who lived on the mountain behind Shenandoah Guns near the river in Berryville, VA in his retirement from Parker-Whelen gun store on 14th Street in DC. Ben Toxvard at Shenandoah Guns never referred to him by name, but told me that the Parker try gun in his store was given to him by the "Old Man" and came from Colonel Whelen whose gunmaking staff used the Parker to fit customers. Ben was taught stockmaking by "The Old Man" when he retired to Berryville. Some information provided by Michael Petrov helped to put this all together. After many years of frustration, Ben sold me Colonel Whelen's Parker. He claimed he needed the money to pay for his new Hardinge lathe, but I always suspected that he just liked me.

Brent, i have no way of knowing if the gun was originally built with the scope, or if it was added later, but I suspect it was original. Noske used a Hutton built rifle in his adds so there may have been some connection there. When I mount the gun I am comfortably looking through the center of the scope.

Tom, it has a Winchester buttplate as did the Hutton Michael had I think.

Brent, I do not know anything about it's history, but suspect it spent a lot of time in the gun rack. Still has the star gauged Springfield Armory barrel.

8bore, I have heard the connection to Shenandoah Guns before.

John

A poster in an earlier thread expressed doubt that Hutton actually relocated to Berryville, Virginia, but some of his dating, putting him in Colorado was not clear. Michael and I put Hutton in Virginia much later than when he was in Colorado. He was gainfully employed by NIST when in Colorado, may have gone with Parker-Whelen later in life, maybe in retirement. By the way, my 1922 Springfield custom that is very similar to Hutton's guns also has a Winchester buttplate and appears to have possibly come from a Parker-Whelen gunsmith. Same name stamp, different name.

Hutton did live in Colorado and worked there but not as a gunsmith. Forum member Clint was his neighbor.

Would love to see pictures of the 1922. What name does it have?

John

John the name on the 1922 is "GIBSON", not Gipson, another gunmaker. GIBSON, FAIRFAX,VA. Most Parker-Whelen employees lived in Northern Virginia. However, I have not been able to place Gibson in the Parker-Whelen shop.

Thank you for posting pictures and history for this rifle. Wonderful.