As a kid I got to wander around Pachmayr's on a few occasions as the shop was just a couple of blocks from my dad's office. My impression (purely subjective) was not great. Frank Pachmayr had no time for a kid in jeans and a t-shirt; too far below his pay grade. His prices were very high even for mundane stuff and his gunsmithing was ok but there were better 'smiths in the L.A. area at the time. The people that worked in the shop were usually very friendly and helpful and I liked talking to them. As a kid I felt he mucked up more Parkers than he helped. The work was beautiful but just not true to the original form, if that makes sense. I believe his engraving was done by someone in Germany and the stocks were done in-house. To this day I can spot one of his guns from across the room; they just have a certain look to them. And he bought one of my dad's cohorts DHE 28 ga for a song and I am still P.O.ed about that as I was just a kid and couldn't afford to buy it for my self.
C.G.B.
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