Gunsmith you have used for a Parker and did work you liked
 

Over the years I have been fortunate to be introduced to gunsmiths that did quality work. Earlier in life, I have used gunsmiths that were not so good an did more damage that good.

Only after I became involved with the PGCA and exchanged information about my needs and the experiences of others did I begin to find those special gunsmiths that do high quality work. It would be nice if we could find that kind of advice all in one place.

Everyone is looking for a competent gunsmith to do work on quality doubles and I think we could do a service to everyone if we built up a list to reference quality gunsmiths here on the this forum.

I know this could be a thread that will degrade into an argumentative debate on the good and the bad, so I would like to establish some rules to help avoid that from happening. I want to focus only on the good!

1) Post a name and contact information only for people you have had direct experience with their work.
2) If they specialize in a particular area, list that too.... stocks, barrels, restoration, triggers...etc.
3) Post only positive experiences, list only someone who you would personally recommend.
4) If someone listed a gunsmith you were about to post to this thread, don't list them a second time. Rather, use the "thank you" thumbs up button to register that you concur that you would recommend him. That will result in us knowing how widely used he is and how highly he is regarded. This could be the most important part of this thread
5) If you have used someone and didn't find him qualified, bite your tong and do nothing. A gunsmith can't please everyone and you may be one of a few that had a bad experience. If on the other hand, if he isn't good, the "thank you" acknowledgments from others will be low to indicate that.
6) Make only one gunsmith to a post.
7) If you want to expand on someone's previous posting in regard to an area a gunsmith specializes in, enter them again following the rules stated above.

Dave Trevallion
South Berwick, ME

(207) 704-0450

A fabulous stocker and his repair work on broken stocks is amazing.

Dan Cullity
East Sandwich, MA

(508) 888-1147

Brad Bachelder
Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 459-3636

Full restoration

Chris Dawe
Seal Cove, Newfoundland
Sidelock stock making,
Stock Refinishing and Checkering

CharlieYellott
N. Hudson NY
General repair work
Stock fitting

Brad Bachelder
Grand Rapids, MI
Barrel finishing
Case Hardening Heat Treatment

Walter Eisserer (Retiring)
Rhinebeck, NY
Sidelock spring work
Stock Bending
Screw Making

Robin
Could you make it a rule that there is only one gunsmith to a post?
I could endorse one of Edgars four (4) recommendations but I don't know two of them and one is a duplicate of yours.

Does it make any sense to do this in a "Poll" Format?

No thanks.

Picky picky .So use Robin's No.6 rule

Chris Dawe +1









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Brian Dudley: Stock Crack repair, stock chip repair, disassemble clean and lub, recoil pad installation.
Doug Turnbull: Screw repair, color small parts, stock chip repair, repair off face, trigger pull weight adjustment.

Brad Bachelder - everything

Dale Edmonds - barrel refinishing

(816) 444-2040

Jerry Andrews
Moundsville, WV
Does just about everything, but LC Smith specialist

(304) 281-5776

Think I Dave T. has retired. Could be wrong.

Britannia Sporting Arms
Stephan G. Hutton
895 Sagamore Ave
Portsmouth, NH
603-431-3512

He was trained under the auspices of E. J. Churchill

Good all around gunsmith

Nick name "The Gun Doctor"

Dean Harris owner of Skeets . Bore and choke work from 410 to 8 gauge

Tahlequah OK 918-456-4749

He is now in Cape Neddick Maine on Route One
I only add this to correct the address nothing else...

Classic Gunstocks

A little bit of everything, but I have used them to repair a Miller Single Trigger and put a Parker back on face. They did a good job.

http://www.classicgunstocks.com/

I spoke with David yesterday - he is only in semi-retirement. He wants to continue to take in work but not at the pace he has kept in the past.





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Custom Craft Ltd. Abe Chaber Danbury,CT 203-748-1830
Stock making,Barrel Bluing,Single Trigger Repair. All around German trained gunsmith.

Dewey Vicknair. 717-626-4226. Lititz, PA. One of, if not the best, everything double gun.

Brian Dudley. What CL said plus fitting extra barrels. Outstanding work performed on 2 Parkers. We are fortunate to have so many quality double smiths available. Bob

Gunter Pfrommer / Pfrommer Gunworks
2954 Hopkins Road
Rocky Mount, VA 24151
540-484-5555
www.pfrommergunworks.us

Strip and clean
Replace hinge pin and brought back to face
Install pads
Excellent service and turn around time

Kirk Merrington
207 Sierra Road
Kerrville, TX 78028
kirkmerr@yahoo.com
830-367-2937

Strip and clean
Brought back to face
Inspect and lap damascus barrels
Excellent service and turn around time

Larry DelGrego and Son in New York. McKinley Vern ("M. V." now deceased) Highsmith in Memphis.

Thought of one more who did a soup to nuts restore on a Number 2 frame VH 12 gauge for me many years ago. Assume Bill is still in business:

Bill Schwarz, gunsmith: 267 Brushy Top Road, Ellijay, GA 30540

I have personally used Mike Orlen's services on five different occasions, twice for choke alterations, once for chamber lengthening and twice for stock bending. Every interaction has been satisfactory - with a very fast turnaround time. Every gun I have shipped to him has been returned by the eighth day after sending, it's a 4 day ride out there via UPS and a 3 day ride back; which of course, tells me he has done the work and shipped the gun out within 24 hours of receipt.
There are several very good gunsmiths scattered around the country that many of us entrust our precious doubles with that do quality work, but it's hard to find a gunsmith doing quality work with a quicker turnaround.

Here's a link to his services offered, price list and feedback in a thread he started on SGW:
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...p?f=12&t=36237

I was referred to Mike by a good friend, Ed Vena. Mike installed screw in chokes on Ed's Ugatecha (Not sure I spelled it right) his 'Uggi" as Ed calls it. Anyway, Ed was very pleased with the work that Mike did and strongly recommended him. Mike has also done some excellent for various members of the Vintagers organization.

This is a great thread, Robin. Thanks for starting it!

Dave

FWIW, Mike O completely reworked the breech area of my HE Superfox and solved ejector, rib extension alignment, extractor rim recutting, and locking bolt issues after a real nightmare, the botched welding job done by a precious owner.

If you ever want to find this thread again, it's easy to get to. Just go to the FAQ link off the parkerguns.org page and there is a link to it through the "Need a gunsmith" link (FAQ #1).

I believe Dale Edmonds has retired.

Sadly, that is true. Nobody could refinish Damascus barrels better than Dale. He did two for me.

I just remembered a dealer telling me at Hidden Hollow in June that Abe had retired (at least from stock making). I never followed up to verify, however.

Don't send anything to anybody other than Brian Dudley if it's work that Brian does. He's literally the only gunsmith I've used in the past 15 years that hasn't disappointed me in some way other than Russ Bickel who's passed away now.

Destry

Brian Dudley just finished a set of Super Fox barrels for me and the work is spectacular. The ribs were stripped re-layed, about 8 dents removed, polished and re-blued, the barrels flats finished with the proper polish and file marks. Brian was very sensitive and did not over-polish the original barrel wedge engraving during the re-finish. I added finish to the stock, did a Silvers leather faced recoil pad and Brian lightly re-cut the checkering. It is the middle gun below. I normally don't do project guns but the Super Fox is a CE one of only 22 made.

Brian has done a bunch for me, as most of you know. First rate all the way

Craig,
Adding a 0 to that 8 for the number of dents is more realistic. Those things looks like they were dragged behind a truck, more than once. Literally they had at least 2 to 2-1/2 dozen dents in the tubes.

Ok I agree the barrels were a MESS!!! It looks like it just left the factory now thanks to your efforts. I shot this gun a few weeks back in northern NY and killed a mallard dead in the air at 45 yards plus so they do work!!!
The stock on the gun was cleaned but not sanded. I used timberlux walnut stain to bring back the color. I would highly recommend the product if you need to darken wood.