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Who is the best gunsmith for 73's?


Ralphie Parker

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As Okie says, plenty of good smiths, and the usual suspects he's named.

 

Now add this to the mix. If yer talking just slicking and lightening springs, etc, there are dozens of good men out there.

 

If yer talking a short stroke, ya need to decide if ya want a "kit" or if ya want a "cut and weld" job.

Cody and Jimmy Spurs do "cut and weld", Pioneer, etc almost all install new links, etc as a kit.

 

Either can work great, but a KIT is a reversible action, where "cut and weld" not so much.

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I always try to suggest you stay as close to home as you can for several reasons.

 

GoodLuck,

 

OL' #4

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I would have to agree with OL#4. The closer to your

ranch the better off you are!

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FORD!!!

 

 

Yer full a beans, CHEVY!!!

 

 

Go jump in a lake, it's FORD!!!

 

 

I'll drive OVER the lake in my CHEVY!!!

 

 

You've both gone loopy, DODGE!!!

 

 

:rolleyes:

 

 

 

But just to show I'm paying attention...................Cody Conagher. ;)

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Depends on who is answering your question. The usual names come up, such as Jim Bowie, Long Hunter, Cody Conagher, Jimmy Spurs, etc.

 

 

Got stuff from them all .... ALL are gentlemen and men of their word.... and by the way.... compitent gunsmiths as well.

Deacon Will B)

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I have gun work done by many top rated, well known gun smiths for a variety of gun types. That includes smiths from the west cost to the east coast and many in between.

 

Essentially ALL the well know smiths are well known due to their quality work. One of the key abilities of top smiths are that they can analyze and diagnose problems and come up with solutions. Many other smiths are good at normal things, but the best have that extra ability.

 

As such, even with these top folks, I expect to have a 20% return rate. This is not exact science - not a digital solution but very much analog with amazing complexity if possible factors impacting the gun. The gun may work fine in their shop with a little testing, but their time is valuable and customers cannot afford to have them do the testing that we do in the field. So some "new" issue may well pop up sometimes. As such, you may have to return the gun for the final tuning that you want. For that reason, I agree with Ol #4.

 

And another thing that makes the top smiths the top - they stand behind their work when further work is needed - within reason a course.

 

So if you can go with someone close, definitely do that. Otherwise do not be too surprised, if you are picky like me, to have to talk with the smith a little and maybe have to send it back.

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Just like a lot of posts in this same type of format ("Which is better...."), the answer you'll get is "whoever the poster used." :rolleyes:

 

I strongly suspect, as pointed out above, however, that the reason these same names keep popping up is because they've all done quality work in the past.

 

Good Luck in your search.

 

Chick

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As to standing behind their work, that's essiential. I know the top smiths will all back their own play, but yeah, if ya gotta ship a rifle back to em, it gets time and money consuming.

 

I had a little trouble with a Cody '73 I bought shortly after the previous owner had it done. I figured "Here we go", expecting a hassle.

 

I was very much surprized when I got Cody on the phone and he offered to EITHER fix it if I sent it to him OR to teach me how to fix it. He walked me through the process, what to look for, and so on, and in half an hour I had it fixed and runming fine. Keep in mind I'm a halfway decent kitchen table gun butcher, but I had almost zero '73 experience, having only ever worked on one before this one.

I like a man who will "teach a man to fish" instead of "feeding" him, while guarding his "secrets". Just sayin....

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I always try to suggest you stay as close to home as you can for several reasons.

 

GoodLuck,

 

OL' #4

Howdy,

OL#4 is correct close to home is better in many aspects also OL#4 knows his way around a 73 pretty darn good, so add his name to the list.

 

KK

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I always try to suggest you stay as close to home as you can for several reasons.

 

GoodLuck,

 

OL' #4

 

 

Excellent advice from a man that I've been told is an excellent gunsmith himself.

 

If you don't have a good gunsmith in your area, my advice would be to handle a bunch of different rifles tuned by a bunch of different 'smiths and determine what feels good to Y-O-U. I could recommend a number of what I call "famous" gunsmiths, but by the same token I could place rifles in your hands built by a number of not-so-famous-gunsmiths that would make you say "Holy Smokes, that is a nice rifle!" I'm retiring my Cody Conagher (everybody knows him) to shoot a Huckleberry (most don't know him) gun. Both are very good 'smiths. I like a Chevy, but you might not. Drive many rifles before deciding. There is no "best" gunsmith. :D

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I would like to have a 73 rifle worked for me who is the best out there?

 

 

If you are in the SouthGA or North Florida area, I could suggest the person that is doing work for a few SASS members down here.

 

A personal message is best, if this is the case.

 

SouthGA

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Find someone close is excellent advise. All of the folks mentioned above are stand up guys who do fine work on the 73. If your in the Southwest, I would add Palo Verde to the list.

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I have had work done by both Jim Bowie and Long Hunter. I only use Long Hunter now. I have two or three 77 and or 60's that Long Hunter has worked on and he is the only one I recommend and send my guns to.

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Did I miss something isn't CI in Santa Ana :excl:

OOPS.....it sure is. Only missed it by about 10 miles. ;) Thank God the post office knows where it is......

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I have had work done by both Jim Bowie and Long Hunter. I only use Long Hunter now. I have two or three 77 and or 60's that Long Hunter has worked on and he is the only one I recommend and send my guns to.

 

Really?

 

When did Jim do work on your guns?

 

:FlagAm:

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He had the gun for several months back in 08 or 09 I do not remember it was when he was thinking of closing shop. I also had him work on my other 73 at EOT of the same year. I wasn'y happy with either rifle until Long hunter worked on the main and one other I got from him the year earlier IIRC. I have had 2 in 45 one is 38WCF, one in 38/357 and a 60 in 22LR. Long hunters guns are much smother IMO.

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He had the gun for several months back in 08 or 09 I do not remember it was when he was thinking of closing shop. I also had him work on my other 73 at EOT of the same year. I wasn'y happy with either rifle until Long hunter worked on the main and one other I got from him the year earlier IIRC. I have had 2 in 45 one is 38WCF, one in 38/357 and a 60 in 22LR. Long hunters guns are much smother IMO.

 

Long Hunter's a great guy and does great work.

 

But IMO...you're crazy. Closing shop??? You don't know what yer talking about. And guns worked on at EOT when Jim's knee deep in trying to get guns fixed fast so that folks can continue on with the World Championships may not be perfect...what do you expect in that kind of situation?

 

Puuuuuleease...

 

:wacko:

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Partial to Cowboys & Indian, Jim Bowie rebuilt my 73 after it was built by another gunsmith using a C&I short stroke, sent to another for repair work, finally I sent it to him and he fixed the rifle free of charge. I paid for parts and shipping. Needless to say he earned my recommendation and repeat business.

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I know there are many excellent 73 gunsmiths out there and i agree it's best to work with a local guy, especially if one of the really goods ones is somewhere near where you live.

 

I live in Southern California and Jim Bowie has done all of my 73 work for years. Once or twice something didn't come out perfectly and he immediately put it on the top of his list and fixed it, at no additional charge of course.

 

He is not close to my house, but I make it a point to get my 73 or my wife's 73 to him if I have a problem.

 

-tex fiddler

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