Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats TOP GUN SMITHS IN US

From top dollar to just run of the mill who is are the best gun smiths gun makers in the USA

Simillion, Echols, Miller, Burgess, Penrod............................ and it goes on. There is a couple from the above list that could be considered the best complete rifle builders in the world.

Chuck

Accuracy, functional perfection...Sid Goodling

Lefty

Duane Wiebe
Darwin Hensley (if he's still working)
Stephen Heilmann
David Miller
D'Arcy Echols
Gary Goudy
Paul and Sharon Dressel
Dennis Olsen
Don Klein
Mark Stratton
Frank Wells
John Bolliger
Dale Goens

(For our Canadian friends Martin Hagn and Ralf Martini)

Believe you need to add the Biesens and Sharon Dressel.

When it comes to complete rifles Combined with resale value, I do not think anyone can touch David's rifles. I am not saying that other smiths are not as good. It just seems as though Davids keep their value longer, and higher. I would say that David, and D'Arcy are probably the best at what they do..

Just wanted to put in an editorial comment. There are always folks in every line of endeavor who get famous for what they do. But in this country of close to 300 million people, I would bet good money that there are a couple thousand guys who could turn out a rifle anyone would be proud to own.

So far no one has mentioned Charlie Sisk or Mickey Coleman, two names familiar on the campfire. John Ricks, when he was building them, could turn out a superbly functional and beautiful rifle. Here abouts we have two men that I know of, Combe and Shemmerhorn, who do excellent work. Jim Brockman is a bit south and west of here. The guys at Hill Country Rifles, Brown Precision and other companies can make some fine rifles.

Don't mean this to try to detract from the Echols and Millers of this craft - they transcend mere gunsmithing into something more akin to works of art. Just saying that because a guy hasn't been written up in Rifle or his name is not bandied about on the net doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of folks who have the skill and interest to turn out some truly superb custom rifles.

The trouble is sorting out the great unknowns from the hacks without paying to find out you've contracted with a hack. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

There is no doubt in my mind there are great unfound, or unpublished gunsmiths that do great work. All I can speak of is what I personally know, so I only speak of the smiths I have dealt with. You also, can divide groups into varmint, match, hunting, longrange, some smiths are really obly good at a particular craft, but when you can get a smith that can do all or most of the above you have found a gem.....

Wow, that is a loaded question. There are so many good ones that any list would leave off some real gems.

While I have no doubt that some of the top guys mentioned turn out some fantastic stuff, there are some guys who are just really good marketers. Other guys just stick to what they do well, build guns, and let word of mouth sell their wares.

As an example, some of the best looking, best feeling stocks I have ever seen have come from a small time guy named Al Ward. I'd put his stuff up against about anyones, but most likely you've never heard his name.

Good gunsmiths are like good deer. They are where you find them. Gunsmithing is not rocket science, and there are few secrets. There are those who sweat the details and those who do not.

Jim- DITTO!!!

I certainly do need to add them. My apologies, though I figure Sharon could be contacted through Paul. I'd guess Frank Wells would fall into that category also.

You need to add Alfred Gallifent, Kirk Merrington, and Dale Tate. Also, Griffin & Howe, which is a larger establishment. Don't forget JJ Perodeau at Champlin Arms. And then, in Canada, there's Nick Makinson. None of them, except for Champlin and Griffin & Howe, focus on custom bolt action rifles, but all of them are craftsmen, particularly in the eyes of users of British and European double rifles and shotguns.

There is a little shop in Nescopeck, Pa by the name of Robert W. Hart & Son. I would put Bob's work in the top tier.

I think CAS hit the nail on the head. I was a professional engine builder for the first 20yrs of my working life and it is a similar occupation. The guys that sweat the details and take care of the occasional (read very few) problems are the successful ones.
Dave

I think the list given is pretty complete. As also mentioned there are plenty of other competent gunplumbers out there, but they don't rise to teh level of top smith. Simply squaring an action, fitting a chambering a barrel and dropping it into a plastic stock does not qualify one as a top smith.

What seperates the men from the boys is being able to get feeding perfection from the magazine, fitting wood to metal and having a gun that shoots consistantly accurately with hunting ammunition.

Speedy, at SG&Y Rifles in Texas,and Jim Borden of Borden rifles in PA sweat over the small details! ackleyfan

I have only been aroud one gun smith and help him sometimes on the weekend and that John Lewis. Him and kenny Jarrett made the first gun kenny ever made to gether.Also shot 40 to 50000 round a year for ballistic.He was the shops keeper and main gun smith there at kenny shop and help with the 300 jarrett and 7 mm stw.John lewis left kenny about 10 years ago and has his on gun shop call carolina precision in jackson south carolina

All I can say is the nicest custom rifle I have ever held would be one of Ryan Breeding short barreled big bores. They are quite impressive

rbbigbores.com

Ditto what Jim said.

Alos, let's not forget Bill Shehane.

At present, I would consider Mr. Jerry Fisher to be the dean of custom rifle builders in the USA, yet, his name has not been mentioned. There are several others who should be on the top list as well and I refer to people who can build a wood and metal functional work of art.

Here in Canada, there are very few top gunsmiths, Chris Weber was here and was the finest stockmaker in Canada, but, he is now back in Germany, I am informed. As to shotguns, the best Englishman here is Les Paul and Makinson is not highly regarded with good reason.