Best S&W Gunsmith for timing?

[jculloden]

In the past Clark Custom Guns did top notch work ...
I read a post ( for whatever that's worth) that they are going out of business but their website is still up and running . Call them and see if they can help you , contact info is on website
www.clarkcustomguns.com
I hope they are still going strong , they were my favorite place to have work done .
Good Luck ,
Gary

They sent my $500 deposit on a SSR back to me

 

[jaydoc]

Anybody use Andy Horvath?

 

[Alk8944]

Contact Protocol Design. He is a long term gunsmith and forum member. He is located in Kansas City: https://www.protocalldesign.com/about.html

 

[jaydoc]

Sight says they don't do gun smithing. Anybody know a good revolver guy in Kansas City? Would be ice to drop off the gun rather than shipping it somewhere.

 

[Alk8944]

Sight says they don't do gun smithing. Anybody know a good revolver guy in Kansas City? Would be ice to drop off the gun rather than shipping it somewhere.

Well, then, call Warren and ask him for a recommendation! I have had several interactions with him on the forum and believed he does do gunsmithing!

 

[chief38]

I have bought a number of S&W revolvers after getting into them recently (had interest in lever guns for years, this is the natural progression... RIP wallet)

The dates range from 1950, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s

Models range from 19, 24, 27, 29, 36, 686

When I bought them, I made sure to ask about timing and lockup, every person said something to the extent that its dead on, excellent, etc

Well after watching a video about it, I checked myself and I can see:

• 27-2 is badly out of time
• 36 Chief's special seems like 1 chamber is
• 19-2 one or two chambers out of time

I know the vast range of skill when it comes to this, and I certainly do not want to go to a local gunsmith.

I want someone who is very very good, and has done this like 1000 times, particularly for S&W revolvers.

The odds of them being competent where I live are exceptionally low.

Are S&W gunsmiths very good? I could see that going both ways.

I also see people keep mentioning this guy named Glenn who's website doesn't work in 2025.

Who is very very reputable around here? I'd also like to get the rest of the gun checked out as well to make sure its safe (forcing cone stuff, any other safety stuff, headspacing, etc)

Thanks!

If you are a going to collect S&W revolvers might I suggest that if you posses at least the willingness to learn, buy some basic inexpensive tools and are at least somewhat mechanically inclined you might want to think about learning how to do these relatively simple repairs yourself. They require mostly common sense mixed in with some mechanical skill but mostly the willingness and patience to learn. If you have "two left thumbs", lack patience / willingness or just say "no", you needn't read any further on. There are some good youtube video's and some great book by J. Kuhnhausen that can help to guide you. Do not stop watching and reading until you first & fully understand the principles, then start slowly.

I now that might seem scary at first but you can work on the worst one and see how you do. As long as you do not do anything rash, force something or dive in without any instruction, you have a large upside with little downside. Just think...... if you're successful at this, gain confidence and actually save a bundle you will be more likely to continue repairs in other areas of revolver issues. Top notch gun smiths are now few and far between, they charge a small fortune, their wait times (at least for the good ones) are very long, shipping is extremely expensive and this newly found skill can be used again in the future. Shoot a revolver long enough and it will go out of time - metal wears.

Speaking for myself, I repair all my own guns and have done that for 50+ years. I never attended a gun-smithing school, never took any courses and when I started there was no Youtube. I am quite mechanically inclined, have more tools than I know what to do with and have a burning desire to learn and succeed. When I first started I proceeded slowly and I noted where each piece went and how they interacted with each other. Understanding that relationship is key! You need the ability to figure out what goes in first and how it interacts with other parts so you can figure things out along the way. As time went on I got braver and attempted repairs that I never thought I'd do - but did. All the years I have been doing this I have (in the very beginning) ruined only a few small replaceable parts that cost me next to nothing but more importantly, I learned valuable lessons from those mistakes. When you learn from mistakes they become worth the hassle.

I say the following not to brag or suggest that I am the best gun smith in the Country - I am certainly not! That said, I do not and can not legally do this professionally for others (only for myself as I am not an FFL), I am retired and do not rush and so I take as much time as I need to take to get the results I want. More importantly, I do not give up. If fitting a part takes me 3 hours, then so be it- a pro could never take that long as he would loose money. Last but not least I am a perfectionist when it comes to mechanical issues I stop and am satisfied only when the job is done right - I don't look at the clock. Some guns I consider myself top notch at and some guns that I have never worked on or never had interest in, I know little about. I only concern myself with the guns I like, collect and shoot. That said, many guns are similar in design and so future smithing is paved by the previous experiences. The basic principles are all the same.

Just something you might want to think about. Owning guns will eventually lead to getting them repaired. Finding qualified and excellent Gun Smiths to do that has become much harder and much more expensive. While this is not meant for everybody - I just wanted to throw it out as food for thought.

 

[kshock]

Well, then, call Warren and ask him for a recommendation! I have had several interactions with him on the forum and believed he does do gunsmithing!

Nope, Warren does not take gunsmithing orders, he is a designer, inventor and manufacturer. Does he know how to gunsmith? Absolutely and a master with revolvers but doesn't take gunsmith orders.