Looking for 1911 gunsmith in Dallas, TX

[MHB]

Just bought my first 1911 a Rock Island Armory 45. I'm just wanting to have a few things done for now, adj. sights, trigger, MSH etc. Does anyone know of a good gunsmith in the Dallas, TX area.

 

[gulogulo1970]

Sad to say, but there is a real lack of good gunsmiths in the Dallas area. The only one I ever trusted to do a good job was Ben of Ben's gunshop in Duncanville, but he retired in December. He was great. He was the perfect gunsmith. He never asked you why? You could go in and say I want this gun made purple. He wouldn't ask why would you want to do that? He would just do what you wanted for not much money and he was fast. I miss him.

I'm going to try Bill Ship in Fort Worth. Here is is web site: www.startime.net/billshipp/ and phone number 817-626-4347. I'll try him by the end if the year. Also Lone Star guns in Plano does good work they worked on one of my guns and did a pretty fair job. They are not artists but they are decent guys. I don't know if either really specailizes in 1911 work but its worth a shot.

Word of warning: Don't go to Alpine in Mansfield for gun work, their smith is a hack they messed up a friends Winchester Model 12. Other than that I'm still going to look for a good one I can trust that is near to where I live.

 

[Vic303]

I have heard Dave Berryhill does good work.
www.berryhillguns.com

 

[TechBrute]

I'm going to say ditto to everything that gulogulo said.

I really miss Ben, and the guys that took over his shop are a bunch of bungholes. I used to go there 4 or 5 times a week to shoot, and now I won't ever darken their doorway again.

I have NOTHING good to say about Alpine. NOTHING!

 

[Sean Smith]

Dave Berryhill is out of business and leaving the area.

Avoid Big Bear Arms in Carrolton. Their 'smith is an arrogant hack who busted one of my guns, then lied about fixing it.

Be advised that many 'smiths may not want to work on a RIA due to their terrible reputation.

I had Lone Star Guns in Plano bob a hammer on a 01991 for me & they did a good job. Seemed like good folks but have no experience having them do more expensive work.

Basically, I gave up on the D/FW gunsmithing "scene" (or lack thereof) and sent my last gun to Ted Yost.

 

[TechBrute]

In the past I've sent my stuff to Clark in Louisiana. A little pricey, but a guaranteed good job.

 

[tomr8368]

Lone Star in Plano...

 

[Racegun]

This is your lucky day if you are looking for a reliable smith in the Dallas area. We are the premier gunsmith in Collin County doing custom 1911 work. We can supply references. We do work for several gunstores in the Dallas area.

As of now we don't have a website but you are welcome to give us an e-mail at [email protected] Although our specialty is the 1911 we also repair/refinish/re-do AR-15, shorguns, rifles/ most handguns, revolvers.

 

[FNHP35]

Anyone ever heard of Berryhill custom gunsmithing? I was running around on the net looking for the proper dim's of the depth of an 1911 feed ramp (I wanted to verify that it was between .385 and .420 (mine came up at close to .320)) and I came accross his site. Anyway, just wondering if anyone had ever heard of him, he's in the Dallas area. Here is his site. http://www.berryhillguns.com/index.htm . Anyway, just wondered. Thanks.

Andrew

 

[Johnny Guest]

gulogulo1970 - - -

Back on 25 SEP, you posted

I'm going to try Bill Ship in Fort Worth.

Did you ever do so? Bill first worked on my guns back in the sixties. I moved away from Fort Worth in '73, and haven't kept in touch - - Probably haven't seen him in 15 years. How's he doing?

Best,
Johnny

 

[gulogulo1970]

Haven't used Bill Ship yet. Trying to build my project funds up so I can get some work done. I'll post when I try him out.

 

[Aleko]

I used Gunmaster in Plano once to fit a new beavertail on my SA Loaded, and they did a pretty good job. So far, it's my only experience with them. I know Bullet Trap uses them for their gunsmithing needs.

 

[Racegun]

We've done work for The Bullet Trap but now we're getting all the work from Target Masters in Garland.

 

[BigSlick]

Sorry to dig this one up after so long, but my brother in law lives near Dallas and just bought a Commander Lightweight (after shooting mine and loving it ).

He wants to get some trigger work done, a beavertail and a set of tritiums installed.

Can anyone recommend a 'smith in the Dallas Ft. Worth area ? It looks like Lone Star Guns burned to the ground and is out of business, and the others mentioned are out of state or had a dismal report of their work.

Can anyone help us out here ?

Thanks

BigSlick

 

[orangeninja]

Techbrute-------"I'm going to say ditto to everything that gulogulo said.

I really miss Ben, and the guys that took over his shop are a bunch of bungholes. I used to go there 4 or 5 times a week to shoot, and now I won't ever darken their doorway again.

I have NOTHING good to say about Alpine. NOTHING!"


Those are pretty strong words for such a weak willed guy.

 

[Racegun]

Dunno if Lone Star in Plano will ever be back in business but in the meantime we are happy to offer smithing for what ever your needs. You'd think that with all the truely gunfriendly ways Texas has to offer that there would be more smiths to go around to but we seem to be few and far between.

 

[KosherNRA]

old as hell thread but i like http://rpsfirearmsrepair.com/

VERY reasonable prices, shop attached to his house in Lavon. the man loves anything 1911 and AR15

 

[jmorris]

Many years have past on this thread from the last posts and Gene is now also retired but did very nice work.

This is your lucky day if you are looking for a reliable smith in the Dallas area. We are the premier gunsmith in Collin County doing custom 1911 work. We can supply references. We do work for several gunstores in the Dallas area.


As of now we don't have a website but you are welcome to give us an e-mail at [email protected] Although our specialty is the 1911 we also repair/refinish/re-do AR-15, shorguns, rifles/ most handguns, revolvers.

__________________

 

[orionengnr]

Well, seeing as how we have dragged this thread kicking and screaming out of the grave...again...

I will put in two big thumbs up for Ken Crawley just a few miles south in Kemp, TX. (www.crawleycustom.com)

He has worked on at least four of my 1911s so far, and will get my business in the future. He is an Old-World craftsman and a Southern gentleman. He is not fast or cheap (which is not to say he is slow or expensive, either).

What is important is that he does exceptional quality work and delivers what (and when) he promises.

 

[Jim Watson]

Gene is now also retired but did very nice work.

This would be news to Gene and his wife Genie who posts regularly on the Yahoo 1911TechTalk list and advises of his capabilities, facilities, and schedule.

Unless he has retired in the past few weeks and stopped using facilities built within the past few months and she hasn't notified us.