Good So Cal gunsmiths

railroader · April 24, 2001, 09:12 PM

Are there any good smiths in the southern cal area that can be recommended? I live around riverside. I want to put sights on my arcus hipower.

Calif Hunter · April 26, 2001, 03:38 PM

The only one that I have had ANY positive experience with is Bolsa Gunsmithing in Westminster, and I can't give them absolute rave reviews. They did a great job on my Remington 597 .22 when it blew out the extractor. (They are an authorized Remington repair shop.) They did a great job on replacing a barrel on my "first model" Colt Trooper .357, although I found the new barrel myself. They managed to match the bead-blasted finish perfectly. However, they did not do a great job on my High Standard Sportking, when the "smith-made" firing pin dinged up the chamber lip. I asked them to make sure the firing pin was the right length since another "gunsmith" had made the part and it was piercing cartridge rims as well as dinging up the chamber lip, and they did not do so. They cleaned up the ding okay, but the very first time the hammer dropped on an empty chamber, the ding came right back. Maybe it's not right to blame them for that, but the lever-takedown Sportking I have does not have a slide lock so accidental dry-firing is bound to occur and a slightly shorter firing pin would not hit the chamber lip so hard. Anyway, their phone number is 714-894-9100. Good luck!

railroader · April 26, 2001, 07:13 PM

Thanks for the info.

April 24, 2001, 09:12 PM	#1
railroader Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2000 Location: Tucson Arizona Posts: 1,756	Are there any good smiths in the southern cal area that can be recommended? I live around riverside. I want to put sights on my arcus hipower.

April 26, 2001, 03:38 PM	#2
Calif Hunter Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2000 Location: La Palma, CA, USA Posts: 165	The only one that I have had ANY positive experience with is Bolsa Gunsmithing in Westminster, and I can't give them absolute rave reviews. They did a great job on my Remington 597 .22 when it blew out the extractor. (They are an authorized Remington repair shop.) They did a great job on replacing a barrel on my "first model" Colt Trooper .357, although I found the new barrel myself. They managed to match the bead-blasted finish perfectly. However, they did not do a great job on my High Standard Sportking, when the "smith-made" firing pin dinged up the chamber lip. I asked them to make sure the firing pin was the right length since another "gunsmith" had made the part and it was piercing cartridge rims as well as dinging up the chamber lip, and they did not do so. They cleaned up the ding okay, but the very first time the hammer dropped on an empty chamber, the ding came right back. Maybe it's not right to blame them for that, but the lever-takedown Sportking I have does not have a slide lock so accidental dry-firing is bound to occur and a slightly shorter firing pin would not hit the chamber lip so hard. Anyway, their phone number is 714-894-9100. Good luck!

April 26, 2001, 07:13 PM	#3
railroader Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2000 Location: Tucson Arizona Posts: 1,756	Thanks for the info.