I thank you for your flattering comments although I consider that they are largely exaggerated.
We must compare what is comparable and in any case we consider ourselves the equals of Hartmann & Weiss or Westley Richards; we are artisans who produce few pieces and when I will leave this job we will have built, at most, one hundred and fifty best quality rifles.
In fact, what interests me is to rediscover Oberndorf's spirit of the pre-war era - the rigor in the making rather than in the presentation - allied to the balance and vivacity of the English bolt rifles of the same period.
For having been lucky enough to manipulate a lot, I consider that the Holland & Holland plains game rifles produced in the thirties and the Scottish light stalking rifles made by Fraser at the same time represented the epitome of the bolt-action repeater.
Add to that some Griffin & Howe or Hoffmann inspiration and especially the simplicity of Rigby Mauser whose mechanics originated in Oberndorf and you will understand where my influences come from.
Of course we have developed a very personal style that is recognizable to the amateurs, but you will note that we are always more concerned about the rigor than about flashy decorations and woods. As far as possible we prefer to use quieter French walnut than unstable bramble, and for mechanisms, whenever possible we select a civilian Original Mauser system.
As for engraving, even if there is now unbelievable art works on the market, I have always considered that it was a bit like binding on a book, regardless of its beauty and quality, it is not the leather binding who will make a bad novel a masterpiece!
That's why I like to present our rifles in the white ... that does not hide anything.
To maintain a small stock of these wonderful pre-war Mauser actions we are often forced to buy complete rifles only to recover the mechanism.
Finally, although we are a small business we have the best relationship with many top-notch gunsmiths, including our friends at Westley Rigby or the Rigby team that has in its ranks many young and talented French gunsmiths.
Sorry for my passable English.

Best regards to all.

DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com