Open Gun... Who's Best To Build?

[Mad Scientist]

Carlos,

That other platform is taking form as we speak for all the other s to see check out the gallery for a open Glock that should cost about a third less to build than the s-i guns. just as flat just as soft and super acurate.may not be " pretty" but well they just work.

JohnNagel

[Andy]

I hope you have not called the other gunsmiths without calling Johnny Lim. He is hard to get hold of, but your time is well worth it.

He build my custom limited gun. This gun is perfect. 100% from the get go. Johnny will also get you your new gun relatively quickly.

Look at a past issue of Front Sight (the one with the number of shooters at nationals that shot what) and you'll see Johnny has a lot of the best shooting his stuff.

Just my 2 cents.

[George]

Here are my 2 recommendations:

I have heard nothing but (really, really) good about Benny Hill's work.

Every Limcat gun I have seen is a work of art, and works, and works, and works.

If I were doing SV, ST anything for a whole lotta bucks, it would be one of these two PERIOD

Regards,

[Chriss Grube]

The last thing you want when something goes wrong with your gun is someone who is hard to get in contact with. I don't care who builds it someday something will break and need fixed. I damn sure don't won't to spend a couple weeks just trying to get a call back from my gunsmith. Customer service is a BIG aspect to look at when building a gun.

[RKooi]

Chriss is right on the money. A friend of mine can't even get a return call from the 'name' smith that has had his money and parts for a new top end for over 7 months! Emails have also been unanswered. The gunsmith's shop is in another state and at least 10 hours away. I'm not trying to bash anyone, but I think you are better served by someone who is local and knows what they are doing even if they don't have the name recognition.

[Rufus The Bum]

Benny Hill is the only one I'd ever have build me a custom gun. Reason? I've seen his work, seen him shoot and he's also one hell of a nice guy (Unlike most) One word of advice, stay away from the factory race guns, in my opinion, they may be marketed as a custom, but their not. If your going to buy a custom, then go with Benny Hill, I guarantee you he will do you right. He will tell you what is b.s. and what is not, he won't try to sell you some gimick unlike others.

[George]

For the past 2-3 years I have been relying on out-a-state smiths for my competition blaster work (JP Enterprises, and Accuracy Speaks for my Glock, rifle, and shotgun work) because my old local blaster masters are no more. I just recently sent my .38 soupcan to another local smith who is an excellent 1911 style craftsman and 7 months later it is still waiting for a new ejector, and extractor while I have sent, and received 4 firearms to the out-a-state folks for major reworks with no problems. Local does not always mean fast. I am thinking of yanking the souper and sending it out-a-state if it goes another month without completion (hell it hasn't even been started on yet!).

I have not worked with him personally, but I hear that Benny Hill has a reasonably short turn time for his high quality work, and once again, I hear nothing but good about his customer service when I put my ear to the track. I also hear very little about his guns needing much servicing anyway.

Being on the west coast, I know quite a number of people with Limcat's. I hear nothing but raves from the Limcat heeled folk in my area about the level of service and turn time they get from Johnny Lim. Once again, I also hear little of Limcat guns needing much service until they are plum wore out.

I know where I am sending my sooper next time (well it's down to two places anyway).

Regards,

[shred]

I'm very happy with my new Dawson mini-gun (see: Shred 3). I've been present for every shot fired through it since it was bare sightless metal and it's worked perfectly each and every time. I shot all of Area 4 with total confidence in it, even with only ~150 rounds on it at the start of the match.

Getting a gun from Dawson is a little different than some gunsmiths. He prefers to build a complete gun his way, while you pick from some options, as opposed to you handing him a sack of parts and saying "make me a gun with these". You're free to ask for bizzare things though he'll try to talk you out of anything he doesn't like. He's also not somebody you can send a random gun to and say "can you fix this or change that?"-- he's full-time busy building guns and working on the ones he did build and generally won't take the work.

Another gunsmith you should consider is Bob Londrigan at Brazos Custom. I handed him my frankenstein blaster and he did some nice work fitting his comp and ports on it in an amazingly quick turn-time. Until Shred 3 arrived, it was my primary competition tool and also works beautifully. He attends lots of matches and is easy to get hold of-- phone, e-mail, passenger-pidgeon, whatever works.

I've never shot a Benny Hill gun, but seen plenty and also heard good things from his customers-- he's got a reputation for quick turn-times too.

[mpolans]

I remember one of the best guys out there used to be a guy named Jim Boland (I think out of California). Whereas most people these days "assemble" guns from parts, this guy would work all sorts of creative magic! Sort of a mad scientist type.

Anyone know what happened to him?