Who would you nominate as greatest gunsmith?

[jonbearman]

My vote is for Sid Goodling as well as all nominated because there are so many who have unreal talent.

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

P
There's a big difference in a gunsmith than a riflesmith a true gunsmith does it all.

Stan
You are correct , a gunsmith should be able to time a Colt Python, fit new barrels to double guns, smooth and tune Smith and Wesson revolvers, build match winning rifles and repair anything else his clients bring in. There are many great specialists at what they do they are not all Gunsmiths.

 

[DirtySteve]

For pistols, Bob Day.... (RIP)

 

[Earnhardt]

Jerry Simison was a great gunsmith...(RIP)

 

[daylate]

There is a one man shop in North Kansas City, MO that gets my vote. His name is Tim.

Absolutely.....

 

[snakepit]

Ryan Pierce

 

[matthias]

Stan
You are correct , a gunsmith should be able to time a Colt Python, fit new barrels to double guns, smooth and tune Smith and Wesson revolvers, build match winning rifles and repair anything else his clients bring in. There are many great specialists at what they do they are not all Gunsmiths.

Is a heavy equipment mechanic any less of a mechanic than a small engine repair guy?

Is a blacksmith that does hinges , latches , nails etc any less of a blacksmith than the guy that makes swords and knives

It all comes down to definitions , I would say general gunsmiths ( any general Craftsman) are a rarity . And good ones are more rare yet.

Today workers and Craftsman are way to specialized. The Carpenters that frame houses are less likely to work on the trim. The Smith that works on rifles exclusively is less likely to work on grandpa's 22 .

We all need to collect and practice diverse skills. And fight the urge to specialize ,or get stuck in ruts.

 

[Kurz]

Its getting harder to get general gunsmithing done these days.

However, there are a lot fewer 'smiths that either can or even want to do stock work. I mean stock work where you end up with a GORGEOUS, properly bedded wood / wood laminate stock. It takes a lot of time to get those right, with lots of "elbow-grease" and that time cuts into doing barrel work, which is their bread and butter. Yet we don't want to actually pay what all that time and effort is REALLY worth, ergo many forego that job.

It is a sad fact that the general public simply does not want to pay for 'general gunsmithing'. They hear the cost then reply with 'I'll do it myself'. O.K. fine. Everyone wants to be a gunsmith...

The pool of hunters who ask for those highly figured, very expensive pieces of wood is getting too small for the number of stockmakers who are competing for that type of work. I personally know of several who closed their doors and are doing something else for their last few years of employment. This is really too bad since we have lost so many of the truly excellent stockmakers already. But the same explanation follows this result, no one want to pay for this type of work any more or that pool has shrunk to a size which will not support all of the stockmakers looking to make a decent living carving wood. The schools which teach gunsmithing are for the most part not teaching stockmaking from wood blanks because the students lack the interest also.

I apprenticed for 3 years under a gunsmith who made everything in the shop from the screws and springs up to the finest hand carved stocks you've ever seen. He passed away with a long waiting list for projects on the books. I quit making wood stocks when the best grades of wood got harder to find and increasingly more expensive, to the point where there wasn't enough demand to compensate me for the time needed to produce the quality of stock requested. It's too bad really because the satisfaction of creating and finishing a fine stock was the ultimate high for me.

 

[butchlambert]

The guy that does it all will have a hard time making more than wages. I would much prefer a plumber (smith) that only does chambering to do my chambering.
Mattias
I believe in specialist. I want a heart doc. watching my heart, not my family doc. I could go on and on with this subject. I understand what you are saying, but I look at it through different eyes.

 

[matthias]

Butch, I believe to fully understand what you mean.

 

[billlarson]

John Moses Browning..
Bill

 

[Tommy Leroy Johnson]

John Moses Browning..
Bill

To answer the original question, I agree John Moses Browning.

 

[338 Mollett]

I don't think you can master all the different aspects of truly talented gunsmithing in one lifetime!

 

[D Coots]

My gunsmith Hacksaw.

 

[butchlambert]

Isn't the old gentleman Mr. Buhmiller?

That is Buhmiller and Jim Carmichel.

 

[geraldgee]

I dont know who is the best or even the criteria to determine it - but there are some damn good gunsmiths in this forum who are building rifles that are breaking world records - how could anyone ask for any more than that?

Gerald

 

[FrankG]

My vote is for Sid Goodling as well as all nominated because there are so many who have unreal talent.

Sid just passed away! Whenever I got to talk to him it was always a pleasure. Never heard of anyone ever complaining about Sids work! Sid will be missed!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[FrankG]

Absolutely.....

I believe you are talking about Moon? If so that is his nickname.

Moon does great work and has built me few rifles as well.

 

[FrankG]

I’ll say this about gunsmiths/gun builders. They don’t get paid enough!!!!!!

First time I did my own work. That was the conclusion I came to!

 

[FrankG]

You can make a long list of good ones! Dave Tooley comes to mind being at the top of the list also!