Let me clarify my earlier post.
I did not mean to imply that anyone who was not a member of the guild could be considered in any way incompetent. However, the guild members have been judged to a level of quality that the average consumer will never see, and had their work approved by their peers. To me that makes them well qualified to be considered “the bestâ€.
There are a lot of gunsmiths working in the USA who will never be members of this group; because they will not, or cannot, meet the criteria for membership. To me they must be considered, at best, somewhat below the level of the guild members.
In Europe every country has a trade guild (or union) for gunsmiths. Members work there whole lives in that trade, and are advanced (by their peers) from apprentice, to journeyman, to gunsmith, and possibly master gunsmith. The USA does not have such a system. And in fact the quality of those using the job description “gunsmith†(in the USA) is something of a joke to many people. Organizations such as The American Pistolsmiths Guild, The Firearms Engravers Guild of America, and The American Custom Gunmakers Guild are doing a great service to the American consumer by setting a standard for quality work.
I’ve heard all the excuses for not being a guild member that anyone can possibly come up with. My response is the same; those who can’t meet the criteria aren’t of the same quality, and those who can meet the criteria for membership and won’t make the attempt don’t have enough pride in their work.
The original post asked for direction to the best. I believe I provided the only answer possible.
Now it’s possible someone will take exception to this post. If so please remember that you do not have to prove yourself to me. You have only to prove it to yourself and your peers. Feel free to contact the guild(s) for membership.
