Best Gunsmith

[2005 Vette]

Who are the gunsmiths generally considered the most reputable,talented, and honest in or near the Twin Cities?

[Stradawhovious]

This is a loaded question. (yes, I'm aware of the pun. Quite proud of it actually. )

Please take the time to get references for your gunsmith. You will get responses like "Try my son", or "Look up my cousin, He's a gunsmith" etc. etc. Try to get a recommendation from someone who was a customer of these smiths, not just a neighbor, friend or family member. You will likely be much more pleased with your outcome.

One thing I've learned, is the ability to assemble a firearm and swap out some parts does not a gunsmith make. Make sure you find a smith, not an armorer....... If that is in fact what you are looking for. It seems to me that an awful lot of armorers are calling themselves gunsmiths.

That being said it is also helpful to know what it is you need done. Like any other specialty, there are smiths that are better at some things than others.

[Erud]

This is a loaded question. (yes, I'm aware of the pun. Quite proud of it actually. )

Please take the time to get references for your gunsmith. You will get responses like "Try my son", or "Look up my cousin, He's a gunsmith" etc. etc. Try to get a recommendation from someone who was a customer of these smiths, not just a neighbor, friend or family member. You will likely be much more pleased with your outcome.

One thing I've learned, is the ability to assemble a firearm and swap out some parts does not a gunsmith make. Make sure you find a smith, not an armorer....... If that is in fact what you are looking for. It seems to me that an awful lot of armorers are calling themselves gunsmiths.

That being said it is also helpful to know what it is you need done. Like any other specialty, there are smiths that are better at some things than others.

Agreed. If you want something done on a AR15, AK47, Glock or the like, learn how to do it yourself as there is practically nothing you can't do to them with tools you already own. If you need real Gunsmithing done like machine work or full custom firearms built, don't let geography limit your choices. This kind of stuff takes time and money and the best don't necessarily live around here.

Knowing the work you are looking to get done would help with recommendations.

[Zerwas]

Who are the gunsmiths generally considered the most reputable,talented, and honest in or near the Twin Cities?

I can weigh in on this subject.

My vote for 2011/1911/Ar15 gunsmiths would be for Paul Grundhauser at http://www.grundhausergunworks.com. Paul is a MASTER pistolsmith and his talent is flying under the radar.
He built me a 2011 6" custom pistol that I used this year and that pistol aided me in the USPSA competitions I shot in this year.

Listed below are the results of me shooting Paul's wonderful pistol:

Texas state open championship: 2nd place overall, 1st place master
Double tap championship (Texas): 2nd place overall, 1st place master
Area 5 multi state championship (Illinois): 3rd place overall, 1st place master
Minnesota state championship: 1st place overall
USPSA Nationals: 17th place overall, 1st place master (highest finish at a natinoals I have ever had).

This pistol was responsible for increasing my national USPSA percentage as well to the highest level it has ever been. It has also aided in making the match points between me and and the guys behind me wider. It is trully a piece of art.

Bottom line, Paul is a heck of a pistolsmith and I'd bet he would be able to do whatever you need to have completed to fix your problem or build you a custom pistol. Check out his website.

[Stradawhovious]

^^^^

No offense, but this endorsement would mean a lot more if you weren't sponsored by them.

Just sayin'

[Payne]

I know Zerwas enough to know that he would not be sponsored by just anybody. The character of both the shooter and his gunsmith are to be held in the highest regard.

I also second the vote for Paul Grundhauser. I wish I were sponsored by him. I have paid good money to have him work on my Benelli shotgun and a STI handgun and have personally seen his work on AR-15's and 1911's. Top knotch stuff.

I would perfer that less people knew about him so that I could get stuff done quicker.

[Stradawhovious]

I know Zerwas enough to know that he would not be sponsored by just anybody. The character of both the shooter and his gunsmith are to be held in the highest regard.

I don't know either, and cannot and will not speak to their character and abilities. I was just implying that a recommendation, in my eyes, means more when there is no emotional or business relationship involved between the two parties.

[Seismic Sam]

J.P. Gangel out of Hugo, Minnesota. Multiple patents for advances in firearm parts, and he's got a guy on his team who can print a 1 inch 5 shot group at 500 yards with one of his custom built AR rifles. http://www.jprifles.com The warranty on his guns is generally considered a non-issue, because he is OCD about perfection. You're not going to find somebody more gifted than this.

[shadeslanding]

This is a loaded question. (yes, I'm aware of the pun. Quite proud of it actually. )

Please take the time to get references for your gunsmith. You will get responses like "Try my son", or "Look up my cousin, He's a gunsmith" etc. etc. Try to get a recommendation from someone who was a customer of these smiths, not just a neighbor, friend or family member. You will likely be much more pleased with your outcome.

One thing I've learned, is the ability to assemble a firearm and swap out some parts does not a gunsmith make. Make sure you find a smith, not an armorer....... If that is in fact what you are looking for. It seems to me that an awful lot of armorers are calling themselves gunsmiths.

That being said it is also helpful to know what it is you need done. Like any other specialty, there are smiths that are better at some things than others.

I'm one (if not the one) that Strad is poking here because I routinely recommend my son and our custom shop when people ask about a gunsmith - but I take great offense at your comment: "not just a... family member...you will likely be much more pleased with the outcome."

Jason's guns are regarded by his customers to be some of the best and most accurate rifles they have ever shot.

If you want testimonials from customers than call and ask

Daryl Siewart at:
(651) 387-5633
biffieboy1969@msn.com

Jason himself can give you other customers as referrals IF YOU ONLY WERE TO CALL HIM AT 952-200-8823 or visit his web site at tacticalfirepower.com

Jason is a graduate of Pine Technical Gunsmithing School. Some of the others here have mentioned Matt in Grand Rapids as being a great Gunsmith. If it is the same Matt I know - he was one of Jason's teachers who is now retired. A diploma'd gunsmith has had machine classes and can run mills, lathes etc. Armorers as Strad said do not always have that skill though some may.

When you do find a good gunsmith then keep him close as they really are hard to come by. And before you disparage any because their father is really proud of the work they do for others and the compliments others give the father about their son's work - at least have the balls to know what you're talking about before inserting the foot.

[shadeslanding]

I do agree with Strad that testimonials and references from actual clients should carry more weight than the recommendation of a proud parent. References just make good business sense.

Sorry Strad if that did not come through on the previous post. That was good advice.

[ijosef]

One thing I've learned, is the ability to assemble a firearm and swap out some parts does not a gunsmith make. Make sure you find a smith, not an armorer....... If that is in fact what you are looking for. It seems to me that an awful lot of armorers are calling themselves gunsmiths.

I think that's good advice for skilled craftsman across the board, not just gunsmiths. There's a difference between a true mechanic and a "parts changer." It seems that the chain stores employee a lot of the latter - guys who just plug in the code reader and replace the parts where the computer indicates a problem. A true mechanic does his own diagnostic work, sometimes finding that it's only severe corrosion on the battery terminals and perhaps time for an inexpensive terminal replacement rather than a new alternator at a 100% markup (which wouldn't even fix the problem).

My first true love is music and guitars. There are A TON of hacks out there who don't even qualify as repairmen, much less luthiers. If the gunsmith scene is anywhere near as bad, that really worries me.

Maybe asking for testimonies from dissatisfied customers would be a good elimination tool. People with bad experiences are far more likely to vocalize their opinions than those with positive ones. I remember a guy on here posting pictures of his vintage Browning shotgun that had been butchered by a "gunsmith."

[farmerj]

the one you trust to do the work on your gun.

ETA:

Best gunsmiths I know don't advertise. They are found by word of mouth from reputation. One no longer can see to do the work, the other is now passed away.

[Stradawhovious]

I do agree with Strad that testimonials and references from actual clients should carry more weight than the recommendation of a proud parent. References just make good business sense.

Sorry Strad if that did not come through on the previous post. That was good advice.

Nope, it sure didn't. All I saw was you accusing me of taking a cheap shot at you........

Which I didn't.

Glad you see it as good advice though!

[shadeslanding]

I do agree with Strad that testimonials and references from actual clients should carry more weight than the recommendation of a proud parent. References just make good business sense.

Sorry Strad if that did not come through on the previous post. That was good advice.

Nope, it sure didn't. All I saw was you accusing me of taking a cheap shot at you........

Which I didn't.

Glad you see it as good advice though!

Thanks - it was good advice.

[crbutler]

It really depends on what you want done. Some stuff you can get done locally pretty well. Some, well, you could probably get it done well, but it will take a while and be brutally expensive.

Ahlman's in Morristown are great at putting something back in factory type condition, and they do a great job with refinishing. They are also usually pretty prompt.

Someone mentioned JP. Getting John to do custom work can be a chore, but JP can do anything within reason to an AR platform. As a manufacturer, they do tend to prefer to do that, and will probably try and get you to buy one of their rifles rather than build one up from scratch with your parts.

Jim Kobe up in the Metro is a member of the ACGG, and does some really first rate custom work, but you will wait and pay for it. He is the only one of this list I have not personally worked with, but have a number of friends and acquaintances who have his work.

I have had good luck with lightweight long range hunting guns with High Tech Customs, but they are in Colorado. Richie is first rate.

Most of my customized IPSC Guns were worked on by Bennie Hill of Triangle Shooting Sports. My problems with his stuff were all my screw ups, but he was more than willing to get the gun back, look it over, and explain to me IN DETAIL what I did wrong and how to fix it. He is also very well thought of in 3 gun circles, and is probably the premier benelli expert for 3 gun. They are in Corpus Christi Texas.

For full house work on a Saiga shotgun, I used R&R Racing, but I'm not sure if they are still doing that, and they are out of Washington State as I remember.

Probably more than you wanted to hear, but you need to let folks know what you are looking for.