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 martinirick |
What makes this custom cadet so special? |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 474 (04/09/09 13:04:39) Colour Sergeant |
If I am "outing" anybody here with this auction I am sorry. The seller's reserve isn't yet met anyway. I just want to know why this rifle
could have a bid this high and the reserve not even met yet. I know engraving and gold inlay can be costly but this is what I would consider rather simple
engraving. Am I missing something?
Engraved BSA |
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joelblack88 |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 444 (04/09/09 13:46:01) Sergeant Major |
I wouldn't pay the starting bid, but then again I am locked in a time warp of classic stocks. I had a beautiful .218 Bee cadet casehardened many years ago
by Doug Turnbull with the rest of the work done by Jack Haugh who used a spectacular piece of walnut. It took me a while to get $1600 for it.
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martinibelgian |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 2753 (04/09/09 21:47:09) Undefeated ISSO Champ 2003-2006 |
That rifle would be everything I wouldn't want my cadet to be as to stocking...
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The Double D |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 4910 (04/10/09 03:31:11) Moderator Emeritus |
It looks like a standard Cadet action. It sure no 15.
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martinirick |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 476 (04/10/09 06:42:48) Colour Sergeant |
I din't think it anything special. Though not engraved I got a couple of Cadets I would gladly sell the high bidder for half his bid price.
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edbu |
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O/R
Posts: 5 (04/10/09 19:27:56) |
Come on, Gert, that stock is a prime example of what we cal "California Custom" done in the 60s. The only thing wrong with it is the white plastic
spacers and the monte carlo roll-over. You gotta admit that it has nice wood, and the engraving and gold are tasteful. Heck, I'd offer $600, any time.
Ed |
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The Double D |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 4913 (04/10/09 20:58:19) Moderator Emeritus |
Like Ed says there's nothing wrong with that stock, there's plenty of wood left too make a good one. $2000 bid and reserve not met? What? That
engraving isn't that good. What's that old Redfield scope worth?
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 777 (04/10/09 21:30:00) Sergeant Major |
Like hey dudes, like don't you like know an iconic piece of 60's like wow history. Like far-out man, it just has the best vibes.
All it needs is a lava lamp as a display light. We called the style California cxxx, not custom. I didn't like it then and I really don't like it now. As to price, to each their own. Personally I think the amount bid reflects a bad trip down memory lane…..but I'm also certain you couldn't duplicate it for that amount. Certainly a one-of-a-kind rifle done to taste………….just isn't my taste. |
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Fazer |
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Colour Sergeant
Posts: 268 (04/11/09 02:33:09) Colour Sergeant |
I think it's just the case of building a custom rifle. Anyone who has, usually finds that they have more in it than it's worth. The same can be said
for doing up old cars. Just my two bobs worth.................Chip
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martininut |
Flash Back to the 60's | ||
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 975 (04/11/09 11:20:42) Hitch |
For all of you old dudes, this rifle must be a bad acid flash back to the sixties!
 Im from CA and I cant even stand that style.
As for custom rifles.....I have two comming from Vic Samuels......both small frame BSA martini actions. One in .223 and the other a rook rifle in 9mm Luger. You dont want to know what Im paying for them.....  
Hitch
How can I shoot it if I can't see it?
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 779 (04/11/09 12:20:01) Sergeant Major |
Hitch, I don't know of anyone from California that liked the style. How it got the label is beyond me. I do know that Weatherby did a lot to popularize it.
Back in 1964 I picked up a stock in that style for a BRNO commercial barreled action my Dad gave me from Herters (whoa another flashback). I tried to live with
it for a while, but finally got out the wood rasps and bench belt sander to give it more conventional lines. While it never looked so factory finished again
(keep in mind an 11 year old's perspective on "finished"), it certainly made me happier.
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RonE.curioandrelicfi... |
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O/R
Posts: 20 (04/12/09 12:25:13) |
What makes it special is that it is an engraved Cadet with custom wood and a target scope. It is NOT a military academy traning rifle with full military
stocks in an out of date caliber. If you think the price it too high, try to duplicate it. Remember that in the '60's we didn't have pickaninny
rails to mount scopes on and properly mounting a scope was not an off-the-shelf matter, it required a gunsmith. We didn't have the internet and forums
like this to be able to pick each others brains for what to do and how to do it (or to pick things apart for that matter).
Now if someone has a custom stocked cadet in any .22 center fire cal. with a target scope that looks anywhere as good at the rifle being picked apart for half the bid price, let me be the first to say: I'll take it! |
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joelblack88 |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 445 (04/12/09 13:09:29) Sergeant Major |
I'm afraid I could only find this awful picture of my Jack Haugh 218 Bee that dates from the dawn of the digital photo age.
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joelblack88 |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 446 (04/12/09 13:16:16) Sergeant Major |
This is a Hoffman Arms .22 target rifle also shot with the same primative camera.
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RichardWV |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 780 (04/12/09 13:37:19) Sergeant Major |
Ron,
As already covered above, nobody questioned that you couldn't duplicate it for the price...or considerably more for that matter. The issue is style of the rifle and if you like it good for you. To many of us it is like bell-bottom pants and polka dot shirts(Mod Squad anyone?), a style we didn't care for then and don't like now. Taste is all a matter of personal perspective. Unlike many classic styles of rifles that continue for generations (like Joel's above), the California Custom style was relatively brief in duration and appears dated. That of course has little to do with the basics of the rifle. However it is the rare custom rifle that can recover anywhere near what a person invests in creating it and for one out of style, it is even more unlikely. As to obsolete caliber, the .219 zipper isn't exactly something you find on the shelves of K-Mart either. Since most of us roll our own, whether a cartridge is current factory or not is mostly academic. While many fine custom varmint rifles have been built on small action Martinis, personally if I'm out to pop a few ground hogs, I'll take my Marlin .17HMR or Ruger M77 in .204. Both rifles were designed to be state of the art varmint rifles and perform much better than many if not most custom rifles right out of the box. However the last ground hog I shoot was with a .43 Beaumont, so it isn't like I'm particularly picky about what I shoot them with if the occasion arises. |
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The Double D |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 4929 (04/12/09 13:55:09) Moderator Emeritus |
The action of the rifle is a Australian Cadet No 4A thin side action and not a thick side No 15.
The fore stock is too long and two big even for California style and is poorly fitted. The engraving is not high quality and the gold line is not even parallel to the engraving panel. The engraving is large, awkward and not symmetrical. The scope is Redfield 3200 worth some where around $300 to $400. Not a bad scope but better are available. Yes it would be to hard to duplicate this rifle for $2000. Perhaps $2500. But for $2000 to $2500 you will get better stock work in a more current design, betterquality engraving, nice fitted scope blocks and a new barrel. Scope extra. But this gun is used, out of style with an obsolete scope. The seller wants more than $2000 for it. He has an offer of $2000 and he should take it, because this is a $1500 used rifle. |
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martininut |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 976 (04/12/09 17:15:48) Hitch |
Well said DD.......custom one of a kind guns are expensive to build and they rarely, if ever, give an even return to the original investor when sold.
Hitch
How can I shoot it if I can't see it?
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The Double D |
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Veteran of the Regiment
Posts: 4930 (04/12/09 19:00:36) Moderator Emeritus |
Blurry Pixels and all that Haugh is a $2000 Rifle
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joelblack88 |
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Sergeant Major
Posts: 447 (04/13/09 08:21:09) Sergeant Major |
The funny thing is that the Hoffman was much easier to sell. As you know sometimes famous names seem to take precedent over aesthetics.
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