After perusing the various threads on custom gunmakers here for several years, I thought I'd add some pictures of a rifle my father had made by Pete Grisel prior to his joining Don Allen with Dakota. Pete did the wood and metal work on this rifle, a .270 Win built on an Argentine 1909 action. Dad wanted a lightweight rifle, and this fit the bill. A stock which was lightened internally in the buttstock (can't recall if one or two holes bored under the butt pad), honeycombed (for lack of better term) magazine, capped hollow bolt, and turned down barrel. Pete stated at the time that it was the best checkering job he had done, and it is flawless....no waves, no overruns, etc, in the fleur de lis pattern. I could go on and on, but I'll end saying that it is in the same condition as the day he picked it up from Pete, as he continued to hunt with another custom rifle he just couldn't move away from. As I recall, this rifle has had less than 100 rounds down the tube.
Unfortunately, Photobucket isn't allowing me to upload all the pictures I took of the other side of the rifle....odd. However, I will say that this rifle is for sale, as we are thinning out some of Dad's rifles after his passing. Other pictures are available upon request.
Yes, it is a bit difficult. I am keeping one custom rifle he hunted the most with, also in pristine condition even after numerous backcountry blacktail and mule deer, antelope, elk and sheep hunts. (Not sure how many times I heard him say "Sacrifice the body to save the rifle.") While the Grisel does fit me quite well and some of the best wood work I've seen (I have been discouraged over the years seeing rifles by top names with crooked pistol grips, sling swivel studs and checkering patterns off center, etc.), it just doesn't hold the memories and personal significance the other rifles do.
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun...or to fish with a wimpy fly rod.
Beautiful rifle and just about perfect checkering. That would be hard to part with.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
Yes, the checkering and inletting are as close to perfection as a rifle can be. Everything about it is sharp, and the bedding tight. I just found a target with the first 5-shot group shot with it the day my dad picked it up....3/4". A number of shots later, with Pete Grisel standing there encouraging him to "keep shooting" a very hot barrel, provided a 1 3/16" group. I recall the barrel being so hot that some "wet" oil was evident in the wood.
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun...or to fish with a wimpy fly rod.
Pete didn't build rifles to sit in a gun safe. The best thing you could do with this rifle is create countless memories hunting with it. That's why he built it.
That rifle is absolutely beautiful. If you sell it, you might regret it down the line. Would be hard to replace in todays market of plastic hunting rifles. I've watched the slide show several times, just beautiful, I wish I could afford it.
Sorry for the loss of your father. That's beautiful workmanship on the rifle. Do you know the length of pull?
I need to measure it again to make sure my memory serves me right. The rifle is at my mother's; I will be there in the next day or two and double check.
Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun...or to fish with a wimpy fly rod.
I think Pete Grisel was the leading influence on the Dakota rifle stock. Don Allen or his talented employees may have trimmed it down some but still mostly Grisel's lines. All of the above rifles are world class beauties.
"When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred." Niccolo Machiavelli
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/gQtJsUS.jpg)