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An old Walmart rifle for eye candy.

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I can’t imagine the countless hours and impeccable execution of multiple finely honed skills of design, engraving, wood carving, inletting, complex wire inlay, metal work etc devoted to this single piece of fine art…

The Walmart stickers are funny but the bigger joke is it’s left handed…

May as well be a Ferrari without a steering wheel…gorgeous though.
 
That's just....
 

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Frank was quite a character. We used to shoot a lot together from about 1980 until 1985 when I had to move to Florida because of my work. I did not see him again until a state shoot in Tennessee. I think that was about 2006 or so. At that time he was suffering from the effects of chemo and said he was quitting the treatments. He did not last long after that.
He always had a bunch of tales to tell and a very humorous person. I always enjoyed his company. The rifles he made were top shelf products and his wire work became superfine.
If you would like to see more of his work 2023 Alabama Kentucky Rifle show Jan 13-14 Jan 23
The Alabama Kentucky Rifle Show is coming up and usually quite a few of his rifles are on display there. I think that link will work if you copy and paste it in your search engine. It is in the American Longrifles shows forum.
This is a good show to see and enjoy both antiques and contemporary rifles. I hope to see you there!
Barry
 
Been a while since 1989, but it seems like 8 months or more. He had other orders to build. He sold me a jaeger to shoot while he built this one, and I gave him the jaeger and the difference when he dropped this one off at the house on his way to the beach. He did way more on it than I paid for. I just told him to build me a rifle with a nice patchbox.
I think the best builders give you more than you paid for. Back in the day in the food business we called it "giving good weight".
 
Beautiful rifle, workmanship and the lock on the "right" side of the rifle. Looks like the patch box release is on the end of the heel of the buttplate. How does it shoot? If it shoots as good as it looks you got a real winner there. Had not heard of this maker. Thanks for sharing.
 
It shoots fine. It was my match rifle for a while.
Frank Bartlett was a builder from from Gallatin, TN. near Nashville. He built in the neighborhood of 350 guns. He sold a lot of guns around the southeast. Frank, Jack Rouse, Bobby Doris, and Bruce Parr used to show up at our Alabama shoot. All from TN. They shot .58s with a 1-48" twist and a light load and won a lot. My rifle is a 1-48. The lid release is on the patchbox.

When Frank delivered that rifle, he said he didn't know why he did so much work on it, that maybe he was trying to impress me. He said wouldn't build another like that for less than twice what I paid.
I have a Golden Age Arms Vincent rifle kit that a friend built for me in trade for my wife making him some primitive clothes.(and yes she made me pay her). He did a nice job on it. Frank saw it and said that it needed some engraving and he would do it if I would let him take it with him from the shoot. I said sure why not. I stopped at his house a few months later to pick it up on the way back south from vacation. He had engraved the face on the man in the moon on the cheekpiece and outlined all the brass parts. He handed it to me and said: "No Charge." A nice fellow all the way round.
 
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I had my Bartlett rifle out to take some pictures today. So, I'll post a few to look at. .50cal. built for me in 1989 by Frank Bartlett. 37" Getz barrel. Siler lock. Frank always put something under the lid. He told me the stickers came from a box of feminine hygiene products!

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Frank loved doing wire inlay. He would put it on even if you didn't want it. He built his son a rifle with 110ft. of wire. All the carving was done with wire. Even the patchbox was wire outlined. No brass.

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So, your saying its’ a sanitary rifle?
 
That's a profoundly gorgeous rifle and "eye candy" is an understatement! I wasn't quite ready for the shock of seeing that beauty.
 
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