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Jack Haugh began building guns in 1954. He has been most influenced by English firearms, whether muzzle loading or cartridge guns. Early on, his specialty was European art guns; jaegers, fowlers, and English rifles. For many years his home and shop was in Friendship, Indiana – home of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association.
Jack Haugh became a “household” name in the muzzleloading world, when in 1976, when he worked along with John Bivins, Monte Mandarino, and Mark Silver to produce a series of longrifles in honor and celebration of the bi-centennial of America’s Independence. These rifles are highly sought by contemporary longrifle collectors today.
When interviewed back in 1979 by Robert Weil for his landmark book, “Contemporary Makers of Muzzle Loading Firearms”, Jack stated,
“ I once was a documentation, but that is uncreative
and a repetition of the same mistakes…”.
Through the years Jack Haugh’s work has indeed shown much individualism and become the epitome of European styled contemporary firearms. His work has been the benchmark all other work was compared to, one often hearing the phrase, “Jack Haugh quality” when in conversation about fine contemporary firearms.
When closely perusing the featured pistol, one detects influence from the noted English gunmaker John Twigg, but also readily notices that it is not a copy of anything. This piece is utterly “Jack Haugh”. We see many interpretations of American gunmaking styles in today’s contemporary longrifle circles, but there are few artists alive today that have the talent, intuition and ability to improve upon original designs from the fine English makers. Jack Haugh is one such individual.
Haugh is well known and much admired throughout the gunsmith trade and for the last 15 years or so, has focused on modern cartridge guns and has worked extensively on the restoration of fine English sporting firearms. He is considered top in his field.
Jack turns 76 years old in February of 2007 and still has the work ethic of a young European workman. He works along side his wife Barb, known for her barrel finishes, in a wonderful shop in Milan, Indiana.
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