Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Al Biesen rifle

First I am not a gunsmith and have ONLY seen pics of JOC's guns and Al B's. I'm not an expert and don't pretend to be. It looks like a Biesen to me and am not arguing.

My main point---I know hundreds of people in Ar and @ 1/2 of those hunt deer.

I don't know ONE (1) person "personally" in Ar. who would have ANY idea of who Al. B is, much less that he made rifles.

There are SO many hunters that are NOT gun loonies, rifle loonies, shooting loonies, they just hunt!

Jerry

Gosh darn! That's a dream rifle right there. The rifle just looks ready to hammer high country deer and elk!

I would put it on consignment in a well stocked shop. Fees vary, so beware. My favorite dealer that can move high end items charges a nominal 10%. When I disposed of an estate in this manner, another high end dealer asked 20%, still another wanted 30%, and Cabela's asked 40%, + the gun library manager wanted a personal sweetheart deal on a matched pair of full engraved, ivory stocked Colt's SAAs. Yikes!

Needless to say, the ten percenter got the deal on almost 100K of pretty nice stuff. He made money with no investment and the kids got it all. They did gift me a couple of guns for my efforts in dispersing the entire estate, not just guns.

You can set a price, or some dealers might let it float while entertaining offers. ,

Best wishes,

Jack

Not a writer, just a guy who has been there and done that.

Jerry that's all true. I have many friends who would not know a Biesen from a Goens if they fell and hit them in the head.


Unfortunately (depending how you look at it) my earliest mentors back into my college days,had many custom rifles floating through the shop I frequented. Many were Biesen and Goens rifles,also G&H, Phil Pilkington, Duane Wiebe,Len Brownell,and many others.

Plus I have owned a few by these people myself, so the style jumps out at me....as it does many others who have grown up and old looking at them.

I mean, who would NOT recognize JOC's rifle?

No question about what shop that gun came out of! Spot the comb shape and checkering pattern from a mile away if you are "into" custom rifles. The cartridge chambering will likely detract a bit from the value, and some folks will not like it because it isn't a M70 but a call to Champlin Arms or other high end resellers should get you a ball park figure.

I'll up the bid to both of Steve and Bob's balls and one year of server security from Hillary.

280: Good deal.

Getting somewhere around $4k for that rifle seems about right,although the cost to have something similar built would be 2-3x as much. I fear there will be more fine rifles coming to market in the years to come than there are new buyers to keep the prices up. None of my son's, or their friends, would trade a testical for that gun. (For which my wife, an impatient grandma in waiting, is grateful.)

utah we are a different breed from a different time....

Yep. I read JOC for hours. My sons played first person shooter games with modern/fantasy weapons. Milliron, Biesen, Burgess, Fisher, Brownell, Sedgely, walnut, Pre-64 will mean nothing to them.

Steve:

Do you have any left that you haven't already traded for other custom rifles?

Al Biesen was a true craftsman!!

Sir...you have a wonderful collection. I truly hope that its nothing negative forcing you to sell off such trophies...

Here is one on GB and yours is in a lot better shape. Very nice indeed.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=557926463

I'm at

Well Bob you taught me something. I'm very familiar with Al, his son and granddaughter but I'd never heard of Goens.

I ask because once upon a time I was told to make an offer on an alleged Al Biesen rifle. My first two questions were:

1.) Who the fugk is Al Biesen?
2.) How do you know Al Biesen made it?

He could only answer the first question so I didn't bother with it.



Dave

cdb: Dale Goens, Cedar Crest, New Mexico.

A contemporary of Biesen, Len Brownell, and others of that time period.

Excellent stock maker. I owned two by Dale and friends of mine owned several others.

Never had the pleasure of owning a Goens rifle, but I did get to meet Dale a couple of times before he passed on. Interesting guy - big man, around 6'4". Was a steel guitarist in Western Swing bands out of Oklahoma in his younger days.

There is a Biesen rifle on gun broker now for 4500.00. It's a model 70 with a left hand cheek piece.

That's a nice one. There's another on there for $2900. Mauser action in .308 Win. Very plain wood.