Michael Dorrler was one of the best Schuetzen (200 yard offhand) shooters of the early 20th century. To find more details about him I recommend you go back through Shooting and Fishing magazine 1895-1910 or there about. He was among the top finishers in a number of the old National Schuetzen Bund tournaments plus many local and regional matches. He was know as a tough, no-nonsense competitor.

From the Los Angeles Herald November of 1903 
WORLD'S CHAMPION RIFLE SHOT W. G. Hudson's Wonderful Record Causes Universal Comment;
Riflemen all over the world are studying the scores for 100 shots, offhand, at 200 yards, made by world's champion rifle shot, Dr. W. G. Hudson of New York City this November. Never before in the history of rifle shooting at the ring target has Dr. Hudson's score been equaled, and experts are inclined to the opinion that the mark set by the new champion will never be surpassed. For the information of local rifle experts the full score for 100 shots made by Dr. Hudson is appended: One-hundred shots at 200 yards, off-hand, on the ring target, possible 2500: Dr. W. G. Hudson of New York City—  22 23 23 25 24 21 22 20 25 23—228, 20 23 21 22 22 25 21 23 24 25—232, 24 21 24 22 24 25 23 22 25 24—236, 25 23 23 23 24 23 25 24 33 20—233, 23 23 23 23 22 20 22 24 22 23—225, 21 24 24 20 22 21 24 24 23 23—226, 21 23 25 24 23 22 23 25 25 25—236, 24 23 25 25 23 20 20 22 22 23—226, 20 21 21 24 20 25 25 24 23 23—226, 25 22 24 25 22 22 21 24 23 24—232 Record to date: The average of twenty-three and a fraction for 100 shots tells the whole story of the most wonderful target shooting in the history of the report. Since 1893 the record for 100 shots and for ten shots is as follows: 100 Shots; 1883 F. C. Ross 2194, 1894 F. C. Ross 2142, 1895 F. C. Ross 2222, 1896 F. C. Ross 2225, 1897 Michael Dorrler 2283, 1898 F. C. Ross 2213, 1899 Michael Dorrler 2240, 1900 Michael Dorrler 2217, 1901 F. C. Ross 2238, 1902 F. C. Ross 2212, 1903 Dr. W. G. Hudson 2301. 10 Shot Entries; 1893 Louis Flach »230 29 1894 F. C. Ross 231 21 1895 Q. W. Plaisted 233 32 1897 Michael Dorrler 2183 1897 H. M. Spencer 229 23 1898 H. M. Spencer 231 18 1899 George Schlicht 231 19 1900 F. C. Ross 235 17 1901 Dr. W. G. Hudson "2:10 10 1902 Dr. W. G. Hudson 230 16 1903 J. E. Kelley 235 27 •Won by Flach on shoot-off with Charles Hutch. ••Dr. Hudson made 230 twice, but was barred, having won the other prize.
The first four years these events were shot at Cypress Hills, L. I.; the next five years they were shot at Greenville, N. J.; in 1902 the shoot was held at Cypress Hills, L. I.; and in 1903 at Greenville, N. J. When Michael Dorrler made 2257 in 1900, experts the world over hailed him as the king of off-hand riflemen, and the prediction was made that his score would stand for many years.

I'd bet much that the barrel is indeed of damascus steel.  Moreover, if so, back in those days the blank would've most certainly been imported, since in this country only the Ithica Gun Company ever made damascus barrels in quantity and those only for shotguns.

And, praises be, unless my eyes and memory deceive me, that's Pope sitting on Dorrier's right.

In any case, can we see a full-length photo of that incredibly special rifle?

Bill Lawrence

Bill,
I copied this from the rolling and falling block forum on FB, but I can query the poster for a full length pic. I suspect he might have gotten it from someone else though.

Aaron

Dorrier and Walter Hudson had somewhat of a nemesis relationship and in 1904 shot a series of individual matches that, as I seem to remember, were well publicized. I have a note that on Feb.22,1904 they shot a hundred shot match at Greenville with Hudson the victor and Dorrier asking for a rematch. The results of the match were in Forest and Stream for Feb.27, '04. I have not looked at the rest of the volume for more of the individual matches that I can remember, and my files for F&S don't include the July-Dec. '04 volume. Call it a hunch, but I would venture to bet that the gun pictured is a prize rifle from this series of Hudson-Dorrier individual contests.

I wonder why we hear so much about other great shooters, and yet Dorrler's name gets so little press or acknowledgement? Seems anyone who shot this well would be as well known as other famous shooters?

If you enter California Digital Newspaper Collection you will find it.  It is a wonderful source of schuetzen history. I heard of it years ago when trying to find information on the San Jose Rifle Club, which was organized in 1899.