Quite a while back, I was trying to ID a rifle that I had regretted not buying when I had a chance.

I have gathered (tentatively) some information that leads me to believe that the rifle was one of the Fraser Highlander rifle kits, as sold by Cape Outfitters some years ago.

Anyone got one that they could take a picture or two of?

Apparently, Armi San Marco, the Italian arms maker, built these, for an American entrepreneur, who subsequently spent a great deal of time and money making right, the things that got mucked up in the making. The story goes, that he got shut of that lot of rifles, by selling the whole lot to Cape Giradeau (spelling?) Outfitters, who sold them off as kits, thus avoiding the responsibility to the consumer to make good on the technical issues inherent in the making.

Apparently DeHaas did not think terribly highly of this one.

Funny enough, I am still quite interested in one of these actions/rifles, though I would prefer to track one down, on this side of the border. 

I am told that there is a write-up on them in the DeHaas book, A Potpourri of Single Shot Rifles and Actions.

Could I trouble someone to check and give me a confirmation, and perhaps a report on what info is present (drawings, scaled photo?). I have to do some book shopping in the near future, and this may be a candidate.

Thanks
  Trev Jones

Yes, your info is largely correct. The Highlander action was apparently a POS, as de Haas indicated in his writeup; the owner of Cape Outfitters (in Cape Girardeau, MO), now deceased, bought these and actually threatened de Haas with a lawsuit over his unflattering review. Nothing ever came of this, as I remember, since the action was indeed less than satisfactory.

I believe Thad Scott of Indianola, MS is the present owner of the Daniel Fraser rights; at one time he was friendly with the owner of Cape Outfitters but I don't know if this extended to the Highlander action. Thad is a 'special person' and semi-retired; he may actually even deign to converse with you if you call, but I wouldn't count upon any display of the usual Southern graciousness & good manners. He has many, many very high quality UK & Continental rifles and double guns in his concrete walk-in 400-sf vault, it's well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

The little Highlander action is quite visually attractive but apparently many folks have tried to get it to operate properly without much if any success. IMO it's best avoided.
Good luck but caveat emptor, Joe

Regarding Thad Scott;

I did business with him a couple years ago on a left handed anschutz.. I was very pleased with my contact with him.

Buddy of mine, just yesterday, contacted him about an Anschutz (former european "club gun") that he had listed on some site or other...

As of a couple weeks ago, his web site was closed up... but it appears that he's still in the process of disposing of inventory.

I can't get to his web site from here at work (web filters) to see if anything has changed though.

I wish him all the best! 

Paul F.

His website ( (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)) opens just fine for me and was updated 4 June 08.  Lots of Martinis, but no Fraser that I noticed.

Brent