Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Gene Simillion Rifles

I think Mark Penrod on metal work, and James Tucker on wood are near the top today in my book. Martin Hagn overall is fantastic as well. Joe Smithson is no slouch either.

whitebird I have had folks (who know)tell me that Penrod is a contemporary Tom Burgess. Had excellent reports on Smithson and Heilman as well.

Never seen a Tucker rifle in the flesh.

Wish I could afford all these guys for a rifle a year.

I have work by both Penrod and Heilman. They are very good at what they do. Without a doubt. I have a rifle built around Mark's receiver work on a Classic Model 70 and even the Pre 64 guys swallow hard when they run that action.

pathfinder those guys will make a metal slut out of you for sure!

The "Old School" in me just loves custom rifles.

I just know pathfinder is thinking of me and grinning. My pet rifles are slightly massaged pre-64s. They are not as smooth as his Penrod, period.

There ... I said it.

Rick you and pathfinder make me think too much....get me in trouble over here.

Thanks for the feedback. Looking to potentially get a custom put together and more focused on the metal work so wasn't sure about Penrod or Simillion. Not sure I can ultimately afford either one, but wanted some first hand opinions. Would like to have it done right and never look back, so will likely talk to both of them. Came close to pulling the trigger on the 338 in the classifieds but Chet beat me to it and a 338 wasn't exactly what I wanted.

mtnman: Either one.

For sure.

Hallowell & Co. Has had a couple of Penrod M70's and a Penrod-Simillion 700 sitting in their inventory for a while. I have some work done by Mark and these would be turnkey perfection for a buyer.

Hallowell &Co.

Heck. They even have a Penrod-Tucker M70!

I've been looking at those for months trying to make the bolt handled migrate to the other side. It's not happening.

I just got off the phone with Mark and am in the process of boxing up an action and barrel to send his way to arrange a build. What an incredibly nice guy. He couldn't be easier to work with and I can't wait to get this action and stuff in his hands to get him started on my build.

Mark is a great guy to do business with. Incredibly meticulous and good at communicating.

Stephen R. Heilmann Custom 98 Mauser .404 Jeffrey $36,500

24" tapered round barrel with quarter rib (with 1 standing and 3 folding gold-

lined express sights regulated for 50, 100, 200 and 250 yards), integrally

machined full-band front sight base (with hood) and swivel stud. Stocked

with highly figured California English walnut: ebony forend tip, 26 lines-

per-inch classic point-pattern checkering with mullered borders, double

reinforcing crossbolts, beaded pancake cheekpiece, steel trapdoor pistol grip

cap, inletted and sculptured rear swivel stud, and leather-covered recoil pad.

Hand rubbed varnish finish. Mauser 98 action with double squarebridges,

original-design Mauser safety with SAFE and FIRE inlaid in gold, integral

extended top and bottom tangs, completely scratch-made bottom metal

including lever-release floorplate, custom trigger, bolt handle and integral

shotgun-style triggerguard. Engraved by Terry Wallace: fine scroll on front

sight, swivel studs, quarter rib, action body, triggerguard and pistol grip cap.

Albrecht Durer's coat of arms on floorplate. Case colorhardened action,

crossbolts, floorplate, PG cap and rear swivel stud. 3-panel checkered,

sculptured bolt knob. Weight: 9lbs, 12oz. Built in 1990. Pictured on cover of

Heilmann's brochure. Over 500 hours invested in building this rifle---not

including engraving. Virtually new condition.

Not to high jack the thread and not starting a pissing match but how can you put 500 hrs into a rifle without the engraving?

Bump!

Laffin'!

Interesting to see this thread bumped up in 2015. I've actually been speaking to Gene and Mark about a legend type build. Like them both, curious if anyone would have a perspective on how to compare them, differences?

Also, anyone else top of the model 70 game other than echols?

Thanks

David Miller

It'd be a dream rifle to have any of these guys put a rifle together for me.