Yes
Dane Burns, local 'smiths, etc.
Hi,
I see Dane Burns on at Pistolsmith and hear lots of good things about him. Is he like, the man, when it comes to 1911s? I hear there are other guys like Larry Vickers and stuff who are very sought after but have several year-long wait lists.
If I wanted to just a trigger job (smoother, lighter, is there anything else to it?) will I be able to tell the difference if someone like Dane worked on it, or if I sent it to a very competent local smith?
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Jeff More
Irvine, PRC
All your AR-15 are belong to us!
I see Dane Burns on at Pistolsmith and hear lots of good things about him. Is he like, the man, when it comes to 1911s? I hear there are other guys like Larry Vickers and stuff who are very sought after but have several year-long wait lists.
If I wanted to just a trigger job (smoother, lighter, is there anything else to it?) will I be able to tell the difference if someone like Dane worked on it, or if I sent it to a very competent local smith?
------------------
Jeff More
Irvine, PRC
All your AR-15 are belong to us!
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
While I'm sure there are competent local smiths out there, I've had better luck with the more well known smiths. I've experienced a few hack jobs over the years but never from anyone with a well earned reputation. You get what you pay for.
Dane is justifiably well regarded and his guns are beautifully done. I also think Dane would be quick to dismiss the notion that is the "man"...he is one of the men who ought to be on anyone's short list of pistolsmiths who do superb work.
Chuck "Pistolwrench" Rogers is right up there too. Don Williams, Steve Morrison, Scott Mulkerin, George Smith, Kurt Wickmann, Joe Bonar, and several others are turning out top-notch work. Doubtless there are dozens of "local" pistolsmiths, who have not achieved much noteriety, who are turning out tidy pieces...but a hard-earned and well deserved national reputation can help put a client at ease.
If anyone is to be considered "the man" in this craft, it would have to be Richard Heinie. As noted above, there are several men turning out superbly crafted pistols, Heinie has done so...so well and for so long...that he deserves the title of maestro.
Rosco
[This message has been edited by Rosco Benson (edited 10-26-2001).]
Chuck "Pistolwrench" Rogers is right up there too. Don Williams, Steve Morrison, Scott Mulkerin, George Smith, Kurt Wickmann, Joe Bonar, and several others are turning out top-notch work. Doubtless there are dozens of "local" pistolsmiths, who have not achieved much noteriety, who are turning out tidy pieces...but a hard-earned and well deserved national reputation can help put a client at ease.
If anyone is to be considered "the man" in this craft, it would have to be Richard Heinie. As noted above, there are several men turning out superbly crafted pistols, Heinie has done so...so well and for so long...that he deserves the title of maestro.
Rosco
[This message has been edited by Rosco Benson (edited 10-26-2001).]
Hey Skunk...
I agree with most people here, that you do get what you pay for. The 'smiths that have a national reputation have if for a reason -- they are VERY GOOD. I have found over and over again that there are dozens of local 'smiths who claim to specialize in the 1911 and claim to be "experts". After being ripped off by one and seeing the hack jobs that others do, I will only send my guns to a nationally known 'smith, or work on them myself.
To your question about the trigger job...my experience is that when someone says they "just want a trigger job", it usually doesn't stop there. A couple of months will go by and they usually want new sights, or a new safety, or something. If you think this describes you, then my advice is to wait and decide all the mods you want and send it to a top-notch 'smith and get everything done.
If you truly just want the trigger job, you may want to consider getting one of the drop-in trigger kits from Nowlin or Cylinder & Slide. They will give you a lighter, crisper pull, that will be a big improvement, but won't be quite as nice as a trigger job from a great 'smith, but should cost quite a bit less.
The main thing is decide what is right for you, and then go for it.
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Byron Simpson
I agree with most people here, that you do get what you pay for. The 'smiths that have a national reputation have if for a reason -- they are VERY GOOD. I have found over and over again that there are dozens of local 'smiths who claim to specialize in the 1911 and claim to be "experts". After being ripped off by one and seeing the hack jobs that others do, I will only send my guns to a nationally known 'smith, or work on them myself.
To your question about the trigger job...my experience is that when someone says they "just want a trigger job", it usually doesn't stop there. A couple of months will go by and they usually want new sights, or a new safety, or something. If you think this describes you, then my advice is to wait and decide all the mods you want and send it to a top-notch 'smith and get everything done.
If you truly just want the trigger job, you may want to consider getting one of the drop-in trigger kits from Nowlin or Cylinder & Slide. They will give you a lighter, crisper pull, that will be a big improvement, but won't be quite as nice as a trigger job from a great 'smith, but should cost quite a bit less.
The main thing is decide what is right for you, and then go for it.
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Byron Simpson
Every gunsmith is local to someone! Dane is local to me. I put a few rounds through a Burns gun recently (see "Gilbert Gun" thread at pistolsmith.com). It is smooth and solid. The wait for the gun was over a year, so consider that when choosing your 'smith, too.
What is the typical turnaround time for something like a simple trigger job and dehorning? I'm looking at a TRP and it has all the features I like.Originally posted by RickB:
[BThe wait for the gun was over a year, so consider that when choosing your 'smith, too.[/B]
Originally posted by RickB:
Every gunsmith is local to someone! Dane is local to me. I put a few rounds through a Burns gun recently (see "Gilbert Gun" thread at pistolsmith.com). It is smooth and solid. The wait for the gun was over a year, so consider that when choosing your 'smith, too.
Our local 1911 smith here in Alaska, Tim Thompson, is a realtive unknown except to his customers. I have compared his work side by side and on the range with Morris and Heinie. His work is comparable, and in some cases beteer, and he is delivering guns in 90 days.
Its not the name, its the product itself.
A TRP comes with factory dehorning and the trigger pull is supposed to be about 4.5 lbs.Originally posted by Skunkabilly:
What is the typical turnaround time for something like a simple trigger job and dehorning? I'm looking at a TRP and it has all the features I like.
Dane is usually really good about answering emails and phone calls. He'd be able to tell you what you want to know.
Have a Kimber Compact with Steve Morrision right now. Soon to be finished. Steve has been very generous with his time (my calls to him, e-mails). He has called me several time with updates and suggestions for me to consider. I had asked the barrel be replaced in this pistol. Steve being a far more experienced 1911 shooter than myself shot the pistol when it first arrived. He said that he would replace the barrel if if wanted him to but his recommendation to me was keep it. He could not see any accuracy benefit to the swap and felt my money better spent some place else. His communication skills and the simple fact he could have made more money (but did not) by simply installing a new barrel and charging me for it has given me a real positive experience with MD LABS.Originally posted by Rosco Benson:
Steve Morrison,
Rosco
Tim
He (Dane Burns) does wonders with a Kimber, didn't u own a Custom Target model once?
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"That's all we expect of man, this side the grave: his good is - knowing he is bad"
- Robert Browning -
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"That's all we expect of man, this side the grave: his good is - knowing he is bad"
- Robert Browning -
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
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