Flaigs made some of the finest guns in the world bar non. They also handled guns from Austria, and Germany. They had 2 stock makers, a machinest, and several beginning gunsmiths putting actions on barrels,cleaning the floor,ect.
While I was there, I heard a story of John Unertyl coming into the shop. They had just finished mounting a Unertyl scope on a custom rifle, and had to dissemble the scope so the rings could be soldered on. Well the scope fogged, and the owner came back to Unertyl frothing at the mouth about the junk he was selling. He promptly explained what had happened, and went to Flaig. He told Flaig and I Quote. "I don't mess with your f-----g rifles, so don't mess with my f-----g scopes" Then he stormed out.
I heard this while I was apprenticing at Flaigs right before they closed.
I own one Flaig rifle. A 25-06 that was in a fire. The springs were all collapsed and the finish was burned off. But the rifling was nice, and the chamber was clean. So it was off to the test bench, to fire some proof loads in it. After 10 oiled cartridges, no change in heasdspace, no problems what so ever. So a stock was put on it, and a scope was mounted. 5 shots in a half inch. I gave it to my son, after it was refinished, and blued a brilliant blue. It is sitting in the room with me as I type this.
Good post!! Thanks for the info.
Do you know what happened to all of the old drillings Charley had in the small room behind the store that originally belonged to the high ranking Natzi's of WW II era? Bill Knabel was running the store after Charley died, so he might know?
Re, John Unertl: My Brother in law knew John personally,. and said the John had the foulest mouth of any guy he ever knew.
But, 10 years ago, I bought a Unertl 1 1/2", 24x Target scope based on info that Freda Shaw provided. When Unertl moved to Mars, PA, Freda Shaw worked as their office manager, and served as their point of contact for all business transactions. Freda and her husband owned the building that Unertl was located in. When I talked to her about buying an older Unertl, she gave me a lead of a guy in PGH who was selling off his Unertl scope collection. I called him, and worked out a deal for the scope I bought from him. It was made the same year I graduated from High School, 1952.
I've often thought about those old drillings Charley had, and wondered what ever happend to them. Those guns were priceless.
