Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Competitive Shooting Pistolsmith for a Wad Gun build

I need a pistolsmith who knows his way around the 1911 and would not be offended to share a few references (in addition to yours). I've been shooting a stock Baer that is a sub-3 inch gun, since I started Bullseye so have not, until now, needed a guy. I want to keep the Baer as is so I picked up a Series 70 on which I'd like some accuracy/reliability work done. Within driving distance from upstate NY would be great to avoid the ever-increasing shipping costs and regulations, but not a necessity.
Thanks guys,
Ed

Top quality 1911s and within driving distance for you. Very well known.

http://www.mountaincompetitionpistols.com/

Denny

http://www.chamberscustom.com


one of the best I've seen these days

Just reading through the links...I'd trust the MCP one a LOT more than the chambers unless you just like glint and glamor and high price tags but I could be wrong.

One talks about wad guns, the other has no direct competition gun posted to boot.

Yeah, my Jim Clark sr. wad gun is as plain as a mud fence. Still tight after many years.

MCP has a heavy Camp Perry presence whereas Chambers is all bling.

Denny.

Alderman
I shot Clark guns for many years and certainly have no complaints but do have a lot of praise for them. One of the best reasons to use Clark is that when you put enough rounds thru it so it needs to retightened and tuned back up, he will do it for $175 on pistols that he originally built.

If I didn't use Clark, I would use Dave Salyer. I've been shooting his pistols the last few years while I save the Clarks I have since Jim Sr. built them. The pistols Dave built for me are 2" guns and his prices are very reasonable.
Phil

Jim Stroh at Alpha Precision.

I see no mention of any competition pistols at Alpha.

Bullseye shooting is a whole different ball game that most pistol shooters will never experience.

He will build one and do it right.

I'm assuming you plan to shoot Bullseye since you want to build a wad gun. If that is right, you would want to use a gunsmith that the bullseye community is familiar in case you ever want to sell it. They will snap it up if he is a good 'smith with a good reputation.
Phil

This is about as solid advise as you'll get.... pays in the highpower field too.

Of course I never sell guns, I only buy... but if you might ever, this is super advice.

Went with J. Blauvelt; solid reputation in all competitive areas, fairly close, and patient enough to spend some time on the phone with me.
Thanks all.

Alderman,I was hoping that you would have gone with a 'smith that specializes in Bullseye guns.J. Blauvelt's website is less than impressive IMHO. Only B gun is a Browning Hi Power.Gonna look long and hard to find one of those on the line.Seems like he is more or a wheel gun guy that will work on anything rather than specialize. I'd be wanting to see some targets and some range time.

PLEASE register on this forum and ask about a smith for you in your area. http://www.bullseyeforum.net I'm a member there. Registering will open up the entire site for you.Is he an ex cop ?Betcha a buck he is. I've had so called "armorers" work on my guns in the past. Never again.

Again,please spend some time on this site. http://www.bullseyeforum.net

Denny.

Isnt even close to NY, but will throw this out there.
Bill Laughridge. Cylinder and Slide
Fremont Nebr.
None better IMO, Not cheap either.

Bill (and his company) have never built bullseye guns. It's a different animal than other shooting stuff; bullseye is a specialized discipline that requires a knowledgeable 'Smith. For instance; does C&S (or your chosen gunsmith) know what a roll trigger is? Do they know the standards for pull weight? What the usual type of optics mount is used now? All important and expensive if it's wrong.
Bob

No pretty pistols or bling on the line at a bullseye match.

Sorry to see the OP has gone to an "armorer" that was a PPC shooter. Oh well, it's his $$$$$$$$$$.

He needs to spend some time here and someone will put him in touch with a smith that does b'eye only in his area.
http://www.bullseyeforum.net


Denny

Excellent advice, Denny.
Bob

Only the end result will tell.

Its a move I damn sure would not have done though.

If you are thinking you go to the sport specific smith. Hell good smiths TELL you they wont' do this or that...

rost495
I agree with your assessment. I checked out the guys website but no where could I find any mention of expected accuracy or prices. He probably does good work but no doubt about it, his interest lies in PPC.
Phil

I wouldn't question his PPC ability. But a 1911 is a different beast.

And then, IMHO, the best smiths are the ones that specialize. Some folks don't get that, but I'd rather a smith that had done 100 1911s, than one that had done 10 of this and 10 of that. At least when we are talking top notch reliability and ACCURACY.

Being a competitor helps, of that discipline. But being that competitor doesn't alone guarantee worth a flip either.

Used to shoot with a guy that built service rifles. He shot them very well. They didn't shoot that well. Had he ever driven the ones I had built I think he might have surprised himself at how much better he could have been. But he claimed you coudl only use so much accuracy. So be it. I could stomp him consistenly once we left the 200 yard line. I could even him in sitting rapid, generally, and loose in standing. But prone rapid and prone slow were mine. And part of that was the guns ability.