With the podcast and all I justndidn't have time to post to the blog. Plus, I kept dreaming I had decided to go back to college and was apparently approaching the second educational trip the same waynI approached the first...haphazardly. Apparently, I failed or study for a history exam...read, I never bothered to open the book...just like the first time! I hate waking up at 4:30AM worried about European history...I'm pretty OK on the Hundred Year War...really...
As usual, I fell in love with a gun on this trip. I made the mistake of sitting around Clark Custom Guns with my old friend Jimmy Clark, BS'ing about this and that. And the he said, "Hey man, you haven't seen my double rifles!"
For the last 5 years Jim has been building double rifles on CZ Ringneck or Bobwhite shotgun actions. He uses the CZ mono bloc and Douglas barrels and, being Jim Clark, designed a unique systems for setting up the barrels and regulating then before soldering them together. Also being Jim Clark, they are just beautiful and built perfectly. He had his "baby," a 30-30 built on a .410 action. The he hauled out a beauty, a .450/.400 3-inch Nitro built on a deluxe 20-gauge action with the high-end wood. Oh, snap!
Eventually he took it away from me...
The cool thing is that Jim's double rifles start at $5000, whereas almost any other double rifle would be pretty much $25K for the ante. The high-end .450/.400 clocks in at $7500. Still out of reach, but not nearly as far out of reach!
I'm also really looking at the Clark deep-flute 16 1/4 inch 10/22 barrel...37 ounces for a steel match-proven barrel!
6 comments:
This is the barrel (and trigger and buffer...) that are on my 10/22. Highly recommended and light http://www.coolguyguns.com/10-22-KIDD-BARRELS_c_8.html
A double 30-30 sounds like perfection to me. Now, I must go look it up. Thanks for update.
It's all your fault Michael. I was productive at work up until a few minutes ago. Now I'm dreaming of doubles and debating should I get it in 30-30 or 30-40 krag. Hmmm, let's go research the two cartridges. On and on it goes.
I have toyed with the idea of building a 44 Magnum double on a CZ block, they're so tough. I have a double chambered for 500 nitro (I'm a recoil junkie) and 45-70, but Indiana doesn't allow you to shoot deer with either, bastards.
Mr Clark's work is certainly droolworthy.
In other news this past weekend: Our world lost a good brother. Richard "Dick" Cabela passed away at the age of 77. He was one-half of the two-brother team that founded the Cabela's Sporting Goods chain. Back in 1961, he, along with brother Jim founded the Cabela's mail-order enterprise that has grown into an outdoor institution. I still have some old Popular Science Magazines that have their very first ad's that were printed in the back section.
For those that have never been to one of the Cabela's stores, make it a point to get to one. We have one up here in Dundee, Michigan. I take the family there at least once a year. It's also a favorite stopping-off point for our Boy Scout Troop when we are traveling back from some adventure. Once, we dropped-in unannounced and they were eager to accommodate us. They did an impromptu reloading class for us and let any interested Scout re-load an inert .308 to take home. I know of at least one Scout (And his Dad!) that bought a "Rock Chucker Supreme" kit and started on a new hobby of re-loading. It is like going to the Outdoor Holy Land.
The Cabela brothers did a lot to bring the outdoors to many people. They also helped make the experience better by offering the best equipment. They're still my go-to source for ammo.
We will miss this old friend.
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P. S.; Michael, you have those school dreams too? Wait until you retire; you'll dream about being back at work AND WORKING FOR FREE! Only you will be sort of invisible......!
What date will SHOOTING GALLERY season closer air?
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