PAULIUS
Bearcat
When in 1980 my wife, 7 years old daughter and I came to USA with almost zero english, $400.- in our pocket, and handful of tools, naturally I was desperate for work. As a jewelry designer back in Lithuania I hope to find something at 47-th Street in NYC, but $800.- for ounce of gold at this time cooled me down.
Than old friend, working at Metropolitan Museum, formerly head of Hermitage Armory, Leonid Tarassuk, had contacted me, he called his friend Larry Wilson, asking for help and Larry talled that indeed, Bill Ruger looking for engraver. The meeting has been scheduled, Ruger asked, if I have experience in guns - sure I have (it was a white lie, I had experience in engraving, gold inlay jewelry, but it was a high crime to work privately with the guns in USSR).
Than Bill Ruger gave me the Red Label in white, $3K in advance and asked me to try.
I was scared do death, but, having no choice, came back to Brooklyn apartment, purchase half ounce of gold and silver, fiev more tools and started my new career. My wife got a job at a sweat shop and we were doing well. After steamy summer the shotgun has been finished. Ruger has approved it and propose a position at Southport facility as an only Company engraver on payroll. The rest is a history, I spend 11 years at SR till they close the Southport factory after introduction of Conn. state taxes, than three years worked with Larry Wilson on numerous Colts, than moved to the jewelry design, creating Lantuch Inc.. When 9/11 hit the jewelry business, I came back to the guns and, after old Ruger death, in 2003 Bill Ruger junior asked me to organize a Studio of Engraving at almost empty Southport building.
A lot of ambitious guns has been engraved at this Studio, three bench engravers has been taught on the basics of the trade, than in 2006 the Board of Directors has decided to change all traditions and shot down the Studio. Next day I had contacted Toni Galazan and started to collaborate with him and with fiev other customers. Here we are today.
The picture of my first gun, 22K Gold, Fine Silver and stock carving:
Than old friend, working at Metropolitan Museum, formerly head of Hermitage Armory, Leonid Tarassuk, had contacted me, he called his friend Larry Wilson, asking for help and Larry talled that indeed, Bill Ruger looking for engraver. The meeting has been scheduled, Ruger asked, if I have experience in guns - sure I have (it was a white lie, I had experience in engraving, gold inlay jewelry, but it was a high crime to work privately with the guns in USSR).
Than Bill Ruger gave me the Red Label in white, $3K in advance and asked me to try.
I was scared do death, but, having no choice, came back to Brooklyn apartment, purchase half ounce of gold and silver, fiev more tools and started my new career. My wife got a job at a sweat shop and we were doing well. After steamy summer the shotgun has been finished. Ruger has approved it and propose a position at Southport facility as an only Company engraver on payroll. The rest is a history, I spend 11 years at SR till they close the Southport factory after introduction of Conn. state taxes, than three years worked with Larry Wilson on numerous Colts, than moved to the jewelry design, creating Lantuch Inc.. When 9/11 hit the jewelry business, I came back to the guns and, after old Ruger death, in 2003 Bill Ruger junior asked me to organize a Studio of Engraving at almost empty Southport building.
A lot of ambitious guns has been engraved at this Studio, three bench engravers has been taught on the basics of the trade, than in 2006 the Board of Directors has decided to change all traditions and shot down the Studio. Next day I had contacted Toni Galazan and started to collaborate with him and with fiev other customers. Here we are today.
The picture of my first gun, 22K Gold, Fine Silver and stock carving:
