Stephen Nelson
Stockmaker Metalsmith
Steve Nelson has been working exclusively in the custom gunmaking craft since November 2000. For the 20 years prior he worked at another job in addition to crafting guns 40 hours per week. Steve notes, “Now I guess I am semi-retired since I only have one profession!” Although he has been repairing and modifying guns since age 14, his first real custom work was restocking existing rifles for himself and friends. Frustrated with getting the metalwork done, Steve gradually began doing more and more of it himself and now offers clients the complete package in house.
Steve’s Corvallis, OR shop includes a lathe, small mill, TIG and gas welding equipment, pneumatic checkering machine, band saws, drill press, power sanders and grinders, and hundreds of hand tools. When it is cost effective to do a particular job with the power machines, Steve does. However, when the job demands it he picks up a hand tool and does it the old fashioned way. He keeps an inventory of high quality walnut stock blanks on hand and a few actions, barrels and accessories.
Today Steve’s style of both metal and stockwork is tending toward the British and European designs of the pre-WW II era. However, the overall appearance is very much American Classic with longer grips and slimmer forends. Whenever possible Steve prefers to meet with clients to fit them better to their stocks and get a feel for the type of shooting they plan to do. In numbers, most projects are rifles using Mauser M98 or Winchester M70 actions. He most enjoys the challenge of creating something unique like the “Mauserlicher” shown here or a modern interpretation of a great old classic British single shot or Austrian Mannlicher Schoenaeur.
Steve does not work with synthetic stocks. When asked why he explained, “For purely aesthetic reasons. The shooting sports are very organic activities and they deserve organic tools. The game we pursue and the environments in which we hunt are beautiful and I like to think the tools I and my clients use are equally beautiful. Even if the gun does not include elaborate decoration, the lines and details can proclaim the owner’s good taste.”
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Photography by Tom Alexander