ACGG #20 Mountain Majestics
While all custom guns are unique, this Dakota Model 10, the “Mountain Majestics” rifle, is uniquely special. And someone will have the unique opportunity to own it – a piece of American gunmaking history – for the price of a $20 raffle ticket. It is a deluxe single-shot, chambered in .280 Remington and embellished in honor of wild sheep.
Like its predecessors, the ACGG Firearm #20 was a team effort built by selected Guild members as a fund-raiser for the non-profit organization. The late Don Allen, founder, with his wife Norma, of Dakota Arms, did the metalwork on this rifle, the 20th-anniversary American Custom Gunmakers Guild (ACGG) project gun.
As one of the original seven incorporating members of the ACGG, Don Allen’s contributions to the Guild were invaluable. He served as its first President, guiding it through the early years and organizing the first exhibition of members’ work. Don’s efforts increased public awareness of the custom gunmaking trade and appreciation for the work of his fellow craftsmen. It was important to him that this project reach the maximum ticket sales of 4,000, for greatest benefit to the ACGG.
The unique features Don created include the sideplates, patterned after those on English “best” sidelock actions. It’s the only Dakota #10 with sideplates. Other custom features include a banded ramp front sight with hood, quarter-rib with a single express-style “V” rear sight, barrel-band swivel base, an oval forearm escutcheon and a unique top-tang safety.
The California-grown English walnut stock was sculpted in the classic style by Tony Schuelke, of Brownton, Minnesota, and hand-rubbed with an oil-based finish. Schuelke also did the carved-and-raised fleur-de-lis checkering, with a stippled background and ribbons, at 24 lines per inch. Schuelke designed and fabricated the unique skeleton fluer-de-lis grip cap and also the extended trigger bow to the full length of the grip.
The McFarland steel buttplate gave Engraver Gene Plante, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, an excellent “canvas” on which to engrave a stone ram in bulino style. His Dall and bighorn rams, on the left and right sides of the receiver in platinum and 24k gold, complete the “Mountain Majestics” theme. (The artists’ names and a specially modified Dakota Arms logo are engraved on the bottom of the receiver.)
Pete Mazur, of Grass Valley, California, applied the finishing touches: traditional rust-bluing on the barrel and sight hood; French gray on the trigger plate and guard, quarter-rib, under-lever, butt plate, scope rings and other “furniture”; nitre-blue on the screws, trigger, breech block, safety button and sight blades; and a bright polish on the barrel breech and muzzle, the receiver and the feed ramp. (Photos are prior to final metalfinishing.)
The 2.5-8x scope, in Talley detachable rings, was donated by Leupold. Completing the project is a custom case in chocolate-colored African Cape buffalo hide and French-fitted with green ultra suede lining, crafted by Marvin Huey of Lawrence, Kansas.
On January 30, 2005, one very fortunate raffle-ticket holder will become the proud owner of this unique Dakota Model 10. The drawing will be held at the Firearms Engravers & Gunmakers Exhibition in Reno. Don’t miss this unique opportunity.
The Makers:
Don Allen
Tony Schuelke
9507 Ridge Rd
Brownton, MN 55312
(320) 328-0100
Gene Plante
3890 Hill Ave
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Case by Marvin Huey
820 Indiana St
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 842-0062
Metalfinishing by Pete Mazur
13083 Drummer Way
Grass Valley, CA 95949
(530) 268-2412
Photography by Lee Thomas Kjos, Webster, MN