Jeez, 175 looks and nothing.

Looks like over 200 of us are wondering who he is/was now! 

Apparently his reputation is a fairly limited or local one, or somebody would have chimed in by now.  Perhaps if you get in touch with Michael Petrov in Alaska, he will know something about him.  He is the apparent expert on custom gun makers of the last 100 or so years.

Sorry I can't provide any info about HH, though.

Froggie

Hal Hartley made percussion rifles too. Limited numbers I'm sure and I think I saw a picture of a hiwall stocked by him.  He did beautifull work, his lines being similar to Al Beisens. Very handsome.  He sure liked Maple.  Gun Digest is the best place to see his work. And I think he might have co authored Kennedy's book on checkering. I have the book and will take a look.   

   Joe.

Now we know who Hal Hartley was! Thanks guys!

In the tenth edition of the Handloaders Digest Page 136 is an aricle on a Hal Hartley single shot Rifle in 6mm/303 which I liked the look of and I had a Highwall made up in the same calibre and style. I used to have a very small and compact four power scope on it which looked a lot better than the four to twelve power on it now.
Not stocked by Hal Hartley, though John Pell did all the metal work. Twenty years on I still have it and it will still put three shots into half an inch. 
Also have a look at page 290 of the NRA Gunsmithing Guide where he writes on gunsmithing the BSA Cadet Martini. Also on page 284 is an excellent article by Frank De Haas on Gunsmithing the 310 Martini as well. Not sure of the date of this book but I think I bought it during the sixties or seventies.

Tim,

     Unfortunately, the wood on several of the rifles I have seen by CC Johnson did not live up to the high quality of Charley's metal work.  The fact that you have one with wood by such a talented craftsman makes yours a very special example.  Congratulations on a nice find.  BTW, how about sharing with us a little?  What caliber, barrel weight, etc, etc?  I assume you already know that the number Charley put on the bottom of the barrel is the year and the job number for that year.  You may be able to get a little more info, at least the original owner and what work Charley did from his grandson, Jerry Johnson, who sometimes posts on this board.

Froggie

Froggie,

 I'm sorry I should have done that at the beginning. It's a late piece by C.C., a mid-heavy 25" barrel, .225, 1 1/14" Unertle varmint. The gun seemed to have few rounds through it when I got it and bore scoped it. 100% blue, one or two very little handling marks on the stock. Since I'm a rf, cf bench shooter the first thing I tend to look at is the chamber and I'll tell you that he cut a beauty. The other thing I'd mention is that  I own or have owned all manner of classic scope from the big 2" target's, Lyman Supers, BV20, but I cannot over state how remarkably clear these 1 1/4" scopes were. I have not had much time to shoot it but will put honest 5/8" groups out there with 4064 and a 52 gr br slug. I shoot lots of 17 and 20 cal. stuff now so the .225 feels large by comparison.