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Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11142964 04/25/16
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 33,662 Either Texas or Idaho E EdM Campfire 'Bwana
EdM Campfire 'Bwana E Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 33,662 Either Texas or Idaho	A legend no doubt which always left me puzzled as to way his rifles can be found on the used market for less than other less notables? Conduct is the best proof of character.

GB1

Re: Passing of Al Biesen Dave_Skinner #11145054 04/26/16
Joined: May 2005 Posts: 10,445 north central PA S shootinurse Campfire Outfitter
shootinurse Campfire Outfitter S Joined: May 2005 Posts: 10,445 north central PA	Originally Posted by Dave_Skinner Yes, take it out and HUNT it, no better memorial than that. . Amen. And this is a fine pictorial tribute to Al's memory. Thank goodness Roger and Paula are there to carry on. "Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." Robert E. Howard

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11146081 04/26/16
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,943 G GF1 Campfire Tracker
GF1 Campfire Tracker G Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,943	Paula will continue her engraving, but alas, Roger is taking no new work and is retiring.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen GF1 #11146587 04/27/16
Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,166 P PrimeBeef Campfire Regular
PrimeBeef Campfire Regular P Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,166	Originally Posted by GF1 Paula will continue her engraving, but alas, Roger is taking no new work and is retiring. Can't blame him for that. Roger must be in his mid-70's. I wonder what will happen with the Biesen accessories - grip caps, buttplates, etc.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11161495 05/03/16
Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 785 Alaska A aguyinAK Campfire Regular
aguyinAK Campfire Regular A Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 785 Alaska	Not trying to hyjack the thread, but was that fluer de lis pattern a signature of his? I was wondering because I have a gun stocked in a very nice piece of wood with that pattern checkering and good proportions. The only info I got when I purchased it was that the stock was done by a famous smith, but the owner couldn't remember who. RIP to a master craftsman Three most useless things to a pilot are: 1. The altitude above you 2. The runway behind you 3. The fuel on the ground

IC B2

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11161611 05/03/16
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna
Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA	Al did not invent the fleur-de-leis but did do it quite well. I spent several days with him back in the 70s and he was more than gracious with his time. I had a lot of design questions and found his basic form was Golden Mean derived and really like the short fore ends derived from solid proportions. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11163499 05/04/16
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 150,942 Texas hanco Campfire Savant
hanco Campfire Savant Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 150,942 Texas	I have a 7mm weatherby on a mauser action that Al built. A work of art

Re: Passing of Al Biesen aguyinAK #11164173 05/04/16
Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,943 G GF1 Campfire Tracker
GF1 Campfire Tracker G Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,943	Originally Posted by aguyinAK Not trying to hyjack the thread, but was that fluer de lis pattern a signature of his? I was wondering because I have a gun stocked in a very nice piece of wood with that pattern checkering and good proportions. The only info I got when I purchased it was that the stock was done by a famous smith, but the owner couldn't remember who. RIP to a master craftsman Both Al and Roger stamped their names in the inletting, with rare exception. They also stamped the top of the barrels. I'll call this basic design Al's signature fleur de lis pattern, which Roger continued using his father's old templates: There are a number of Biesen patterns and variations, including some that were arrowheads instead of fleurs, as well as point patterns. Another distinctive feature is that Biesen checkering is recessed slightly from the surface.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen GF1 #11164532 05/04/16
Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas 1911a1 Campfire Tracker
1911a1 Campfire Tracker Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas	Originally Posted by GF1 Originally Posted by aguyinAK Not trying to hyjack the thread, but was that fluer de lis pattern a signature of his? I was wondering because I have a gun stocked in a very nice piece of wood with that pattern checkering and good proportions. The only info I got when I purchased it was that the stock was done by a famous smith, but the owner couldn't remember who. RIP to a master craftsman Both Al and Roger stamped their names in the inletting, with rare exception. They also stamped the top of the barrels. I'll call this basic design Al's signature fleur de lis pattern, which Roger continued using his father's old templates: There are a number of Biesen patterns and variations, including some that were arrowheads instead of fleurs, as well as point patterns. Another distinctive feature is that Biesen checkering is recessed slightly from the surface. besides using the recessed checkering his pistol grip curve and the heavier blunter shape of the point of the comb and flute shape is distinctive. Figures don't lie, But Liars figure Assumption is the mother of mistakes

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11165415 05/05/16
Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,886 Ralphie Campfire Regular
Ralphie Campfire Regular Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,886	I inherited one of my grandpa's Biesen rifles. It is built on an FN Mauser. It is a 7x57 with a 22" barrel. It still has the 4x Redfield my grandpa put on it. It was built in the late 60s. I think I remember my grandpa telling me that it was O connor's writing that got him thinking about Biesen. The only thing I've changed is I installed a Tom Burgess safety that I got from D'Arcy. I've killed a few cow elk, a black bear, and some antelope bucks with it. My mom can remember her folks loading up the family and driving over the mtn to visit Biesen. I never did get to meet him. I should get some better pictures of it. It has a trap door buttplate and a skeleton grip cap. I still have untouched brass from my grandpa's stash. Last edited by Ralphie; 05/05/16.

IC B3

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11165433 05/05/16
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,760 Wyoming W WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger
WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger W Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,760 Wyoming	Cool rifle and story! Molon Labe

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11166783 05/05/16
Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,150 Western Pennsylvania D donsm70 Campfire Outfitter
donsm70 Campfire Outfitter D Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 8,150 Western Pennsylvania	Congratulations folks! Those are some fine looking rifles. donsm70 Life Member...Safari Club International Life Member...Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Life Member...Keystone Country Elk Alliance Life Member...National Rifle Association

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11166990 05/05/16
Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,649 Indiana pointer Campfire Outfitter
pointer Campfire Outfitter Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,649 Indiana	Ralphie- They never gave me a hat...

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11167267 05/06/16
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 2,672 BC P patbrennan Campfire Regular
patbrennan Campfire Regular P Joined: May 2004 Posts: 2,672 BC	Ralphie, I always admired that 7x57 of yours, very nice indeed. (did not know it was done by Biesen)

Re: Passing of Al Biesen ChetAF #11167436 05/06/16
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 193 K KimR Campfire Member
KimR Campfire Member K Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 193	My first true custom was a M70 FWT checkered in Biesen#3 pattern bought 50 yrs ago.It is still one of the best I have but it has taken 50yrs to realize how perfect it is.I thought all customs would be this nice,alas few are.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen Ralphie #11168441 05/06/16
Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas 1911a1 Campfire Tracker
1911a1 Campfire Tracker Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas	Originally Posted by Ralphie I inherited one of my grandpa's Biesen rifles. It is built on an FN Mauser. It is a 7x57 with a 22" barrel. It still has the 4x Redfield my grandpa put on it. It was built in the late 60s. I think I remember my grandpa telling me that it was O connor's writing that got him thinking about Biesen. The only thing I've changed is I installed a Tom Burgess safety that I got from D'Arcy. I've killed a few cow elk, a black bear, and some antelope bucks with it. My mom can remember her folks loading up the family and driving over the mtn to visit Biesen. I never did get to meet him. I should get some better pictures of it. It has a trap door buttplate and a skeleton grip cap. I still have untouched brass from my grandpa's stash. great looking rifle and family heirloom! Wow that last antelope is a bruiser! Figures don't lie, But Liars figure Assumption is the mother of mistakes

Re: Passing of Al Biesen KimR #11168445 05/06/16
Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas 1911a1 Campfire Tracker
1911a1 Campfire Tracker Joined: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,681 N.E. Texas	Please post a pic if you can. Thanks! Originally Posted by KimR My first true custom was a M70 FWT checkered in Biesen#3 pattern bought 50 yrs ago.It is still one of the best I have but it has taken 50yrs to realize how perfect it is.I thought all customs would be this nice,alas few are. Figures don't lie, But Liars figure Assumption is the mother of mistakes

Re: Passing of Al Biesen pointer #11170354 05/07/16
Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,886 Ralphie Campfire Regular
Ralphie Campfire Regular Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,886	Originally Posted by pointer Ralphie- They never gave me a hat... Sorry about that. They said they only gave them out to the top. Actually Ryan stole it for me.

Re: Passing of Al Biesen Ralphie #11173592 05/09/16
Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,649 Indiana pointer Campfire Outfitter
pointer Campfire Outfitter Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,649 Indiana	Originally Posted by Ralphie Originally Posted by pointer Ralphie- They never gave me a hat... Sorry about that. They said they only gave them out to the top. Actually Ryan stole it for me. Ha! 'Twas a fun place to spend a few years, even if I spent most of it looking down. Is Ryan still in So. ID? His story about crickets when he was living in NV was priceless.

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