How To Choose A Gunsmith?

Hopefully this isn't too stupid of a question...I'm definitely not a stranger to firearms, but this will be my first go around with a rifle build. I've already decided on caliber, barrel, contour, stock, etc., but I need help finding the right person to do the job.

For those who have worked with great gunsmiths, how did you go about finding them? I recently moved from Logan, UT to Richmond, Virginia to attend med school, so I'm a little lost on how to go about this. Any help would be great!

I'm assuming it'd be worthwhile surfing the net, talking to others at shooting ranges/gun stores, but I'm curious to see if there are any more effective ways.

For those who might be interested, I'd like to take a Rem 700 SPS Varmint 22-250 and turn it into:

- 6.5 Creedmoor
- Bartlein 26" SS Rem Varmint Contour, 1:8 Twist
- Timney Trigger
- Manners MCS-TA Stock

Do you currently have the barrel? If you do or you can find one available soon I'd highly recommend getting in on the long rifles inc group buy. Go to snipers hide for the info.

Thanks for the heads up! Unfortunately, I'm waiting on a barrel right now. I won't have it for a few months.

In regards to choosing a good smith, maybe surf some of the more gun oriented internet forums. You will see certain names that come up more often then others. Or get a recommendation from a friend maybe??

For me, I've used several different ones and so far have been lucky, never had any horror stories and all my rifles have shoot great to fantastic.

If you want a couple possible smiths that are great in regards to customer service and their current build times aren't crazy you might check with Mark Gordon at Short Action Customs - he would be my 1st choice based on your parts list. Another one would be Jon Beanland out of Gould OK. He is a one man shop and his rifles are awesome, I have 2 of Jon's builds, both 7MM-08's and both shoot fantastic. Another one you might call would be GAP, they build some fine rifles or like mentioned Long Rifles kicks out some fine stuff.
Good luck on your build - its addicting though

>In regards to choosing a good
>smith, maybe surf some of
>the more gun oriented internet
>forums. You will see
>certain names that come up
>more often then others.
>Or get a recommendation from
>a friend maybe??
>
>For me, I've used several different
>ones and so far have
>been lucky, never had any
>horror stories and all my
>rifles have shoot great to
>fantastic.
>
>If you want a couple possible
>smiths that are great in
>regards to customer service and
>their current build times aren't
>crazy you might check with
>Mark Gordon at Short Action
>Customs - he would be
>my 1st choice based on
>your parts list. Another
>one would be Jon Beanland
>out of Gould OK.
>He is a one man
>shop and his rifles are
>awesome, I have 2 of
>Jon's builds, both 7MM-08's and
>both shoot fantastic. Another
>one you might call would
>be GAP, they build some
>fine rifles or like mentioned
>Long Rifles kicks out some
>fine stuff.
>Good luck on your build -
>its addicting though

I'll keep asking around and I'll look into those that you mentioned. It's encouraging to hear great reviews!

I can imagine that this road can become quite addicting - I'm already spending way too much time researching things out.

I have had work done by and can reccommend Kevin Cram of Montour County rifles in Pennsylvania and Nathan Dagley of Straight Shot Gunsmithing in North Dakota. If you visit www.longrangehunting.com pretty much any gunsmith who is a site sponsor will do top notch work.
I would definitely do research on customer feedback before you send your rifle out. There are some nightmare stories out there of incompetent work and excessively long turn around times.

NRA Life Member

Lefties are the only ones in their right minds--and I ain't talkin' politics!

I have used and can recommend Todd Lockburner as a gunsmith just outside Colorado Springs on . I've had 3 gunds worked on (mzl-brk, trigger, stock, & bolt)and am completely satisfied with his work, measurements are precise and fit tolerances are tight.

He's an FFL holder and close enough to where you are so shipping is not to costly, here's the link to his website http://lockburnerfirearms.com/ at 18845 Brown Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80908] (719) 487-3193. Its kinda awkward to navigate the site but I just click the left right arrows then click o the screen you want to go to.