I have all the guns I need or want (yeah, right...we've all said that before!) and I've found over the past few years that, instead of buying another gun, I've been getting the ones I already have engraved.
I know that engraving is very subjective and there are those who don't like it at all. But I grew up (born in '65) appreciating fine blueing or nickel plating and excellent wood to metal fit and finish.
My tastes run to 75% coverage instead of more (100% seems too much to my eye) or less (25% is not enough). All the styles are appealing to me, but American Scroll really calls to me.
While there are many engravers out there with amazing artistic talents, I found Michael Gouse in Montana by searching around the internet and chose him for my first engraved gun. I was so pleased that I keep going back. And back. And back. I can't stop myself. I'm starting to think about selling other guns so I can afford to have some more engraved. Yep, addicting.
The first gun I had Gouse engrave is an 1883 1st Model S&W .32 Safety Hammerless breaktop. The gun was in horrible condition on the outside, but mechanically sound. The big draw for me was the set of perfect, old, original S&W medallion mother of pearl handles I had that fit on it. The gun wasn't worth much as it was and I felt the pearl handles deserved better. Since the bore was good and so was the action, I decided to "bring it back."
Here is the result of having the flaking and rusted nickel plating removed, polished, reblued in an old world blue, and engraved with 75% coverage American Scroll. I made a cigar box into a presentation case for it too:
I was so pleased with Gouse's work (and his turn around time and pricing) that I sent him my S&W 624 and had it made into a Skeeter Skelton tribute gun. I had the 4" .44 Special for years with a set of birdseye maple Skelton style handles from Bear Hug Grips. I had Gouse engrave it with 75% coverage American Scroll and add Skeeter's cattle brand to the backstrap:
I decided to save on shipping and sent two guns to Gouse on my next "go around." My 1988 Interarms Walther PPK had served me well for the last 20 years but I bought a new Ruger LCP to replace it as a carry gun. I figured I would reward my trusted PPK with a little "enhancement." Yep, you guessed it - 75% coverage American Scroll. I was tempted to try Gouse's German Acorns & Oak Leaves, but since the guns is marked "Made in the USA" I decided to stick with American Scroll. I liked how my Camillus Robo Heat knife looked with my PPK and the way they matched with their stainless/black plastic combo so I had Gouse add a little scroll to the knife as well:
A co-worker had given me a Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 made in 1916 for free. It was in terrible condition and I had to buy a new barrel for it because the original was so rusted and pitted as to be unsafe. I had the gun re-blued locally and it turned out so well that I sent it along with my PPK to have Gouse apply...well, you know what I had him do!
Here's the Colt when I first got it (the grips are a perfect old set my dad had in his gun box, the originals that came with the gun were all broken up):
Here's how it looked after I had it re-blued (and added a set of bonded ivory handles to it):
Here it is today (with the bonded ivory handles):
And with my dad's old originals on it:
Many years ago, I found a great deal on a Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum. My dad cut the barrel down to 16" by hand (hacksaw and hand files to re-crown the barrel and recut the dovetail for the front side and barrel band) for me. I like a short lever action. I refinished the wood with Linspeed and removed the white spacer in the buttstock. My best friend made a few custom John Wayne big loop levers for his Marlin, mine, and my dad's. He even had our initials added to the bottom of the custom lever after it was blued to match Marlin's blue. I added a saddle ring and had a great little woods saddle ring carbine. But after my addiction started, I decided this neat Marlin needed some engraving. Gouse engraved the barrel band and forearm band along with top of the barrel, 2" from the frame. After the rifle was engraved, I put a Lever Gunleather buttstock cover on it (holds extra rounds on the right side) tooled with a Mountain Lion:
When I ordered the buttstock covers, I got one from my Marlin 336 .35, one for my best friend who made the custom big loop lever (his last name starts with a "Z"), and the Mountain Lion cover for my engraved 1894:
In addition to my Gouse engraved guns, I also have a Jeff Flannery engraved Ruger Single Six with elephant ivory handles:
And I also have a factory engraved Colt SAA .45 150th Anniversary Engraved Sampler:
I called Gouse the other day and "got in line" to have another gun engraved. I bought one of the new Ruger Blackhawk .44 Special Lipsey's Exclusive revolvers. I ordered a set of birdseye maple handles for it and I'm going to have it engraved to match my S&W 624 as another Skeeter Skelton tribute gun (cattle brand and all). I think I'll have to make a custom presentation box for both the Ruger and the S&W to go in. (So much for not buying any more guns, eh?)
Here's the Ruger...it looks so plain without engraving!
So who else has the engraved gun addiction? Let's see some pics!
-Steve
I know that engraving is very subjective and there are those who don't like it at all. But I grew up (born in '65) appreciating fine blueing or nickel plating and excellent wood to metal fit and finish.
My tastes run to 75% coverage instead of more (100% seems too much to my eye) or less (25% is not enough). All the styles are appealing to me, but American Scroll really calls to me.
While there are many engravers out there with amazing artistic talents, I found Michael Gouse in Montana by searching around the internet and chose him for my first engraved gun. I was so pleased that I keep going back. And back. And back. I can't stop myself. I'm starting to think about selling other guns so I can afford to have some more engraved. Yep, addicting.
The first gun I had Gouse engrave is an 1883 1st Model S&W .32 Safety Hammerless breaktop. The gun was in horrible condition on the outside, but mechanically sound. The big draw for me was the set of perfect, old, original S&W medallion mother of pearl handles I had that fit on it. The gun wasn't worth much as it was and I felt the pearl handles deserved better. Since the bore was good and so was the action, I decided to "bring it back."
Here is the result of having the flaking and rusted nickel plating removed, polished, reblued in an old world blue, and engraved with 75% coverage American Scroll. I made a cigar box into a presentation case for it too:
I was so pleased with Gouse's work (and his turn around time and pricing) that I sent him my S&W 624 and had it made into a Skeeter Skelton tribute gun. I had the 4" .44 Special for years with a set of birdseye maple Skelton style handles from Bear Hug Grips. I had Gouse engrave it with 75% coverage American Scroll and add Skeeter's cattle brand to the backstrap:
I decided to save on shipping and sent two guns to Gouse on my next "go around." My 1988 Interarms Walther PPK had served me well for the last 20 years but I bought a new Ruger LCP to replace it as a carry gun. I figured I would reward my trusted PPK with a little "enhancement." Yep, you guessed it - 75% coverage American Scroll. I was tempted to try Gouse's German Acorns & Oak Leaves, but since the guns is marked "Made in the USA" I decided to stick with American Scroll. I liked how my Camillus Robo Heat knife looked with my PPK and the way they matched with their stainless/black plastic combo so I had Gouse add a little scroll to the knife as well:
A co-worker had given me a Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 made in 1916 for free. It was in terrible condition and I had to buy a new barrel for it because the original was so rusted and pitted as to be unsafe. I had the gun re-blued locally and it turned out so well that I sent it along with my PPK to have Gouse apply...well, you know what I had him do!
Here's the Colt when I first got it (the grips are a perfect old set my dad had in his gun box, the originals that came with the gun were all broken up):
Here's how it looked after I had it re-blued (and added a set of bonded ivory handles to it):
Here it is today (with the bonded ivory handles):
And with my dad's old originals on it:
Many years ago, I found a great deal on a Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum. My dad cut the barrel down to 16" by hand (hacksaw and hand files to re-crown the barrel and recut the dovetail for the front side and barrel band) for me. I like a short lever action. I refinished the wood with Linspeed and removed the white spacer in the buttstock. My best friend made a few custom John Wayne big loop levers for his Marlin, mine, and my dad's. He even had our initials added to the bottom of the custom lever after it was blued to match Marlin's blue. I added a saddle ring and had a great little woods saddle ring carbine. But after my addiction started, I decided this neat Marlin needed some engraving. Gouse engraved the barrel band and forearm band along with top of the barrel, 2" from the frame. After the rifle was engraved, I put a Lever Gunleather buttstock cover on it (holds extra rounds on the right side) tooled with a Mountain Lion:
When I ordered the buttstock covers, I got one from my Marlin 336 .35, one for my best friend who made the custom big loop lever (his last name starts with a "Z"), and the Mountain Lion cover for my engraved 1894:
In addition to my Gouse engraved guns, I also have a Jeff Flannery engraved Ruger Single Six with elephant ivory handles:
And I also have a factory engraved Colt SAA .45 150th Anniversary Engraved Sampler:
I called Gouse the other day and "got in line" to have another gun engraved. I bought one of the new Ruger Blackhawk .44 Special Lipsey's Exclusive revolvers. I ordered a set of birdseye maple handles for it and I'm going to have it engraved to match my S&W 624 as another Skeeter Skelton tribute gun (cattle brand and all). I think I'll have to make a custom presentation box for both the Ruger and the S&W to go in. (So much for not buying any more guns, eh?)
Here's the Ruger...it looks so plain without engraving!
So who else has the engraved gun addiction? Let's see some pics!
-Steve
