The shooting stick referred to as the woodchuck rest was introduced by Dr. H.A. Baker and constantly used by FW Mann in the field. The hollow iron tube, with its sharp point, carries within it the swabbing, stick, can be easily entered into the ground, while the sliding rest is quickly moved to any desired height and fastened by set screw. In tramping the the fields or woods, it makes a good walking stick by sliding rest to the top. It can be used in place of tripod for small camera, and is no mean weapon at close quarters, stiff and strong but quite light in weight. Dr. Baker recommends it for opening a generous space between the barbed wires of an obstructing fence; by setting its sharp point into one wire, catching the other upon sliding rest, moving it up and carrying wire along, then fastening by set screw, space for passing through without catching clothing is quickly afforded. 

Its proposed use for chuck hunting was surely well thought out and there is a picture showing it being used in the prone position barrel being rested about ten inches back of muzzle.

Wow that was allot of typing on my phone and I hope everyone truly enjoys reading it and the multiple use ingenuity if its design.

JLouis

JLouis wrote on Jan 8^th, 2017 at 7:23pm:


Where I grew up, barbed wire strung around every piece of ground larger than a tennis court, that would have been a Godsend, if it worked.  But I can't believe the sharp point wouldn't slide off the wire once tension was applied.

JLouis wrote on Jan 8^th, 2017 at 9:19pm:


I even turned my computer screen to a vertical position to see the photo in its proper orientation, but what I STILL see is the wrinkle formed by his fingers, with the scope also in the same wrinkle, which means the coat is behind the scope.  As I said, there's a shadow of the scope ON the coat, which couldn't be there if the scope was hidden behind the coat.  If that's the case, the scope is a straight tube as were the vast majority of them at this time.  What do others see? 

Will send email as I'd certainly like to see the scope you described.

Bill Lawrence wrote on Jan 8^th, 2017 at 11:17pm:


Sorry, nothing at all Malcomish about that rear mount--it's a sliding mount, as Sidel introduced, but Stevens made popular.

The assumption of any "double-serrated focusing ring" is without foundation, as I think  Mr. Louis would probably now agree, based on closer examination of the photo in question, from Ray Smith's Pope book.

My apologies over what some in this forum call a "brain fart".  The "Malcomish" mount I was referring to is not the front but the rear, the one nearest the action.  And the "double serrated ring" (which looks like it has an horizontal appendage) is whatever is fitted to the action-end of the scope.

Bill Lawrence

The "fancy work" that appears at the junction of the grip and butt on the pictured Tom Shelhamer stock was a clever and successful attempt to raise the comb of stocks on single shot rifles in particular. It is not so needed on a borchardt, but very much so on a Hepburn. It acted as a sort of wedge to accomplish the desired result and maintain an aestheticly appealing stock.

Michael wrote about the Niedner-Borchardt more than once.  My understanding is that to really make the thing work, you need the special cases & case forming dies, plus the base-band jacketed bullets and then the dies for making the bullets.  That stuff was listed separately.  Sad that the auction house did not know what they had.

Guys,

       Love that old photo. I have a copy of it on my desk and have made a few trips to Shushan NY to check out the area for chuck hunting a few years ago. Never did see a chuck and when I asked land owners for permission to hunt them you'd think I was asking to violate their daughters! The fields there are not long but rather rolling and hilly. Can't see but a few places where one would expect to get a shot at a chuck over 180 to 225 yards. I'm sure that the area looks different now than it did back in 1911 when they were there. 
       My questions is who was Dr. Baker? What was  he involved in? Apparently he was a shooter. I'd just like to know a little more about him.

            Sendaro