When California was once home to some of America's most talented Gun Smiths.

[Miami_JBT]

First, we're going to start with Pachmayr. That is a name many do not think about when it comes to talented gunsmiths. Today, many simply associate Pachmayr as a company that makes handgun grips and recoil pads for rifles and shotguns.

But that wasn't always the case.

Frank Pachmayr worked out of Pachmayr Gun Works located Los Angeles, CA and he was a master craftman when it came to 1911 pistols. We would make some of the most amazing competition capable guns you can think of and actually designed and made the grips and recoil pads that are being sold to this day.

Frank passed at 90 years old in 1997 and was buried in Inglewood. The location of his workshop in Los Angeles is now an apartment building.

Another master gunsmith was Armand Swenson out of Seattle, WA and later moved to Fallbrook, CA. Amand invented the modern combat 1911 that we know today. He came up with things like the ambidextrous safety. He was world famous for putting Smith & Wesson K-Frame adjustable rear sights on 1911s. It was his idea to apply metal checkering square beveled mag wells His signature feature though was the square trigger guard.

Amand retired in 1990 and passed away in 1995.

 

[Miami_JBT]

The last master gunsmith we're looking at today is Bob Chow of San Francisco, CA. Bob was a renowned gunsmith for 1911s and accuracy jobs on revolvers. He helped pioneer many of the features we see in carry gun today and his work on guns like Colt Pythons is amazing. He really could make a silk purse of a sow's ear.

Bob retired in the early 1980s and sadly shed his mortal coil in 2003.

Alas, California is now known as being home to some of the most draconian gun control laws in the country and any firearm innovation has long fled the Golden State. But there once was a time when some of the most talented and skilled hands crafted some amazing pieces of firearms art.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

As commented in your other thread -- some of your photos are MUCH too large to fit on any screen. Once you post an over-sized photo, that also results in the text expanding to the width of the photo, so readers have to scroll back and forth not only to see the photos but also to read the text.

That's inconsiderate. Life is too short for me to waste my time playing those games. I suspect I'm not the only reader who simply ignores posts like this.

 

[Miami_JBT]

Strange, on my screen it doesn't appear oversides.

 

[DaleA]

Welp, they're right about the pix.
Horizontal scrolling is the pits for pix. Resizing is definitely needed.

There's info on the site to do it. I haven't had to do it so I don't know how...I just remember the issue has come up before and it doesn't seem difficult.

Please resize...I'm definitely interested in the Pachmayr thread.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Strange, on my screen it doesn't appear oversides.

The only responses to both of your threads have all told you the photos are too large. How many people do you need to have tell you before you believe it?

What is your monitor's resolution? Mine is 1920 x 1080. Your large photos are 4032 x 3024. That means your photos are 2.1 times the width of my screen (if I ran it in full-screen mode -- which I don't) and 2.8 times the height of my screen (if I ran it in full-screen mode -- which I don't).

You need to resize them to 1024x768 or -- preferably -- 800x600.

 

[Grant 14]

I agree with the oversize photos, but on a more historical note, there was (I think his first name was Frank) FRANK SLAUGHTERBACK, not sure of spelling. He had worked for Henry Derringer and later moved to Lakeport California. He made rifles and pistols for locals. I have seen a double percussion rifle that he made and a friend of mine has his old lathe that he used in gun making. There is some information on him in the Lakeport Museum. Just another tid bit of history. Grant.

 

[Stiofan]

I visited Jim Hoag's shop in the San Fernando Valley a few times in the 70s and 80s before I moved to Idaho. Seems he passed just earlier this year.

Most people don't really appreciate Jim Hoag. Hoag's guns however, are the MOST desirable custom 1911's to most pistolsmiths. Richard Heinie, Bill Wilson, Ed Brown-they all collect HOAG guns. Why? Well, he was the first 1911 pistolsmith who cared about fit and finish. Hoag was a contemporary of Swenson who started out working for King's Gunworks. After moving out on his own, Hoag's proximity to LA enabled many a Hollywood star to get custom 1911's built. Hoag is known for building James Caan's longslide 1911 in the movie "Thief", a pistol that heavily influenced other budding pistolsmiths, notably Heinie.....

 

[bbqncigars]

Thanks to all the posters for an educational look back on some true master gunsmiths. The gun pron is also much appreciated.

 

[DaleA]

Thanks for the information. I was familiar with Pachmayr (when I was younger I slapped Pachmayr grips on practically every handgun that came my way including, much to the chagrin of my uncle, a Ruger single-action revolver.)

I had also read articles about Armand Swenson in (I think) Shooting Times or American Handgunner or Guns and Ammo way back when. I don't remember Bob Chow so thank you for bringing that to my attention.

These guys were, IMhO, true craftsmen.

 

[Master Blaster]

Great post and great pictures. With so many 1911s in the market with what were custom features standard folks forget the old craftsmen and hand fitted and custom designed pistols.

 

[Lavan]

There is still Craig Maraviov in Woodland.
He's a GUNSMITH!

After failing with 3 bozos to get a Rem 512 to feed, I took it there.
Presto!

Have had other work done too.