Gunsmith Recommendations

[Inthealders]

Who are the Paul Jaeger’s and Al Biesen's of today? The guys who did very well after the war converting 98 actions in to well-fitted, reliable and accurate hunting rifles. I have an FN pre-war action that will begin its journey once I find the right craftsman. A search of “classic hunting rifle gunsmiths” yields nothing but carbon fiber and stainless, and another group who only work on 700 actions. Where can one go for a properly built, classic hunter in the style of the old European or African light rifle? I don’t need or want a Griffin & Howe; just a properly trained guy who takes pride in doing great work and who’s wait list reflects his skill. The right guy prefers Mauser 98 pattern actions and is not insulted when asked for references. He is a proper, full service shop (metal, wood, finish,...).

Thanks guys for any help,

Ed

 

[Remington1911]

Great question, and sad to say I have looked and come up with nothing.

Story time:

In my case I needed wood worked on, I bought a savage 99 and it has this (could not find a pic on my phone) this like bare spot on the wood where it looks just unfinished, the lines are very crisp like there was a sticker or something on it. The wood is perfect, just not finished....it is the oddest thing I have come across.

I could not find anyone, I used a gunsmith once and he "does not do wood". So I have just let it sit, one day I plan on asking my neighbor in his youth he made cabinets, he might know.

But on to your question, I think it is like many of the "trades" or other skills, they have just faded away.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I've never had the scratch for a start-to-finish custom project like this, but the place I would start looking is with ACGG:

https://www.acgg.org/index.php/membership/find-a-member.html

Most members have photos of past projects in this website's gallery section:

https://www.acgg.org/index.php/gallery.html

Good luck!

 

[Chuck R.]

Here's who I've used for a couple projects as have some of the guys I work with:

http://www.riversbendguncompany.com/#buy-section

Jeff is usually pretty busy as are all the good smiths. He worked for GA Precision for years before starting out on his own. Very good response times when you email him:

[email protected]

Best to figure out your budget early..my last one went a little over $3K minus the action.

 

[Inthealders]

I've never had the scratch for a start-to-finish custom project like this, but the place I would start looking is with ACGG:

https://www.acgg.org/index.php/membership/find-a-member.html

Most members have photos of past projects in this website's gallery section:

https://www.acgg.org/index.php/gallery.html

Good luck!

Unfortunately after speaking with more than a few of the fine craftsmen who are members of the ACGG, I was unable to find someone who either considered this something worth his effort (I want to start with a nice, pre-inletted piece of walnut which is heresy) or whos estimate for a completed upgrade was less than five thousand dollars. I wondered whether, on a writer's income, Jack O'connor paid this in nineteen fifties dollars for every one of the hundred or so custom rifles he had built. Still looking. He's out there.

 

[rabid wombat]

Consider https://lohmangunsmith.com/

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

I notice that quite a few of the customs Tom Turpin reviews in Gun Digest are collaborative projects, with barrel and action, wood and decoration/finish by separate shops. Maybe that's the trend now.

I've had actions rebarreled (PacNor) or rebored (Dick Nickel) in the past, but the deaths of people I trusted combined with rising labor costs have lead me to limit 'custom' gun work to metal refinishing shops such as Craftguard or Armoloy. Or to simple stuff I can do myself, like rough woodwork.

Mark Novak recently discussed some of the issues leading to the high cost of modern gunsmithing:




BTW, in the unlikely event I get the urge to do another custom project, I'll probably go the DIY Remage route, which is about all that is left within my tax bracket.

There used to be a local gunsmithing shop here that could handle reasonably broad requests within my pocketbook, but once the owners retired the remaining local 'gunsmiths' seem to be either kit builders or limited to drill-and-tap installations and fairly basic repairs. I feel your pain.

I'd be interested in Offhand's opinions and recommendations about contemporary gunsmithing operations -- he owns some truly gorgeous custom guns.

 

[Jim Watson]

There used to be a local gunsmithing shop here that could handle reasonably broad requests within my pocketbook,

Had one like that here, John Gallagher, died in 2020. He got publicity for his custom Ruger revolvers, paid the rent with stainless and plastic hunting rifles, but would build the occasional blue steel and walnut sporter just for tradition.
His son has kept the shop open but seems specialized in the second sort.

 

[LoonWulf]

Im curious about this as well!

Unfortunately after speaking with more than a few of the fine craftsmen who are members of the ACGG, I was unable to find someone who either considered this something worth his effort (I want to start with a nice, pre-inletted piece of walnut which is heresy) or whos estimate for a completed upgrade was less than five thousand dollars. I wondered whether, on a writer's income, Jack O'connor paid this in nineteen fifties dollars for every one of the hundred or so custom rifles he had built. Still looking. He's out there.

Jack O'Connor was a well known writer and having a rifle used by such as advertising in and of itself was probably worth more than the cost of the gun..... Still I bet you he paid a fair penny.

Also considering a new manufacture Mauser 98 will run you something around 8 grand......

Year or so ago I was looking for a woodstock for my Christensen Ridgeline, because as much as I like that gun I thought it'd be even nicer in a highend wooden stock.
Most of the quotes for what I wanted, we're pretty close to as much as I actually spent on the gun.

Quite honestly if I was contemplating this project, I think i might have the metal work done by one gunsmith/company, who specializes in that kind of stuff, including any ornamentation desired and then have someone else make the stock and fit it.
I'd still expect it to come out right around 5-6 grand on the low side.

Along those lines, I'm also thinking about/probably eventually purchasing a Cooper Western classic, which is probably going to run me close to six grand out the door..... And that's not even a custom rifle lol

 

[cdb1]

I wondered whether, on a writer's income, Jack O'connor paid this in nineteen fifties dollars for every one of the hundred or so custom rifles he had built.

I’ve never heard or read that O’Connor even remotely had that many custom rifles made. Not saying it isn’t true, just never heard of it.

 

[GerryER]

I know David Sams of Sams Custom Gun Works in Va does excellent work, but I found that his website is down, so don't know what the situation is. I know him personally, so I will try to call him today and get some contact info for you. You won't be disappointed in his work, though his lead times were quite long due to backlog.

 

[Dustbowl]

Mauser 98’s are tough because inletting the action on one is a huge hour sink. While a 700 is run a ball mill and then touch up, a Mauser is 2 to 3x the work because of all the contours on the bottom. You’ve got a pre inletted piece which saves time, but a lot of the high end guys won’t work with anything but their own handpicked blanks. You have to remember the ACGG are the absolute top end smiths and as such charge top dollar. Plus when your that good with that long a wait list you can pick and choose your jobs.

Also with the advent of Savage barrel nuts and remages coming into style (I remember when it was blasphemous to have a custom gun with a barrel nut) the lower end smiths have a much simpler method of installing a barrel than a Mauser or other surplus.

 

[GerryER]

Contacted David Sams and this is his contact information: http://www.samscustomgunworksusa.com/ and 804-375-3782

 

[Anchorite]

Had one like that here, John Gallagher, died in 2020. He got publicity for his custom Ruger revolvers, paid the rent with stainless and plastic hunting rifles, but would build the occasional blue steel and walnut sporter just for tradition.
His son has kept the shop open but seems specialized in the second sort.

Oh wow, did not know John had passed. I used to visit his shop when I was in school at UA Tuscaloosa. A buddy and I would drive up and we felt like we were going to the Holy Land, lol. He was a fine gentleman that would take the time to talk with a snot-nosed college kid (who couldn’t afford his work back in those days).

I didn’t know he had a son.

 

[Anchorite]

The few times I had rifle work done it was either Mickey Coleman (Greenville, AL,) or Jim Messer out of North Carolina. Both deceased now.

I don’t know who caters to your taste these days. Seems everyone is into the black-rifle thing. I will, however, put some thought into it.

 

[Inthealders]

Had one like that here, John Gallagher, died in 2020. He got publicity for his custom Ruger revolvers, paid the rent with stainless and plastic hunting rifles, but would build the occasional blue steel and walnut sporter just for tradition.
His son has kept the shop open but seems specialized in the second sort.

You know I never thought of this but I just received a custom big bore from Jack Huntington and neve thought to give him a shout to see if he would be able. Even if it is not his specialty, he would never let anything leave his shop that wasn't perfect. Thanks for at least planting the seed in my brain.

 

[Inthealders]

Contacted David Sams and this is his contact information: http://www.samscustomgunworksusa.com/ and 804-375-3782

I only know because Sams and I have the sport of Bullseye in common and though I haven't called him recently, his wait list as of maybe six months ago, for anything is four years.

 

[Anchorite]

You know I never thought of this but I just received a custom big bore from Jack Huntington and neve thought to give him a shout to see if he would be able. Even if it is not his specialty, he would never let anything leave his shop that wasn't perfect. Thanks for at least planting the seed in my brain.

Jack is very, very good, and he’s done several revolvers for me over the years. It would be worth a call to him to discuss.