Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns joe chambers

do any of you know joe chambers, a gunsmith specializing in 1911's in nebraska?
How is his work, rep, etc.?
he has a website forum and goes into quite a bit of detail about customizing a ruger 1911.
Thanks,

Last I heard he hasn't been the same since Marilyn left him to go into films......

Hmmm, 30 miles from me, and I've never heard of him.

Ron, why go out of state for 1911 work when you have a guys like Chuck Rogers and Don Williams rightt here in town?

I was trolling on the net for info regarding ruger sr1911's and i ran accross his forum and this LONG list of things he did to a ruger. Got me interested in who he was. Supposedly apprenticed under a guy by the name of marvel.
Locally it has been an easy thing to call up Frank Glenn. I have a ambi safety for the ruger ordered, and rather than mess with it myself, will call him. Also a little work on the trigger too i think.
Glenn has built some pistols that have went to various writers of the gun magazines. Including a smython a couple of years ago. Model 19 smith with a phyton barrell. Always wanted one of those.

you must live within a few miles of a guy i have been emailing back and forth originally through another forum for quite a few years. He says the town is so small that the dogs know him at what passes for a post office. He said the guy was in shouting distance too, but he had never heard of him.

Ron..You may want to check with Nelson Ford here in North Phx.off 32nd street just north of the 51. I think his shop is called "The Pistolsmith".
He has done 2 Smith revolvers and a 1911 Springfield for me. Specializes in Smith and Ruger revolvers and 1911s. Does great work, IMHO. Good luck with your project. MO2AZ

Nelson is another alternative, I know the guy and have used him in the past.
Glenn is in north phoenix too, used to be armorer for D.P.S. and a several time galco award winner pistol shot too. Probably not as cranky either.
I have shot a number of nelson's creations and he is real good too by the way. I was thinking of Glenn for one reason, number of years ago i wanted an ambisafety put on a springfield champion. Went over to his shot, he had the pistol down in about ten seconds, walked over to a air powered grinder, and sparks aflying. I was going what have I done. Had the safety in and pistol back in nothing flat, and it is still working good. Both are excellent pistolsmiths. Although I am kind of surprised to hear nelson is working on rugers, i thought all he would work on was smiths and colts.

Nelson Ford will work on all the 1911 clones, but I have seen a couple of thigs first hand that would steer me away from him.
His shop is "The Gunsmith".

"Probably not as cranky either."

+1...yes, he can be.

I haven't had him work on any of my Rugers, but he had that he did work on them posted on his blackboard the last time I was in there. I think he prefers working on the Smiths and Colts, but I assume he saw the market for other 1911's and the Ruger Blackhawks. I can only speak to my experience with him... all of which has been good. I actually enjoy talking to him...when he will talk.

edited to add....
Nelson does have a sense of humor...a friend took a fairly high dollar 1911 in to him for some work. Unbeknownst to my friend, Nelson had a junker 1911 in his other hand as he took my friends gun, he turned and threw the 2nd 1911 back onto his bench. All my friend saw was a 1911 flying through the air nearly 20 feet back to the bench....he was able to laugh about it later, but it took a while.

RoninPhx,
I have a close friend in Lincoln that comes down and shoots IDPA with me occassionally who is a good customer and friend of Joe's. My friend is a perfectionist and extremely detail-oriented guy (works on helicopters and airplanes for a living). He's very high on Joe. Apparantly Joe has had some sort of dust up with the "guild" but it has nothing to do with his work. If interested PM me and I'll copy you on my friends comments. If my buddy is pleased with Joe's work, it's hard for me to imagine it being 2nd rate in any way. YMMV.

Joe's work is first rate. He's a team shooting his pistols won 2 matches at Camp Perry last year. Most of his clients are competition shooters. You know how finicky those guys are. LOL He's had the cover on "American Handgunner" with a lefty/righty 1911 pair too.

I have had him do work for me and it's first rate. FWIW Bob Marvel lives in the same small town. Joe apprenticed under Bob.