Handgun Repair Shop, Gunsmith for modern and antique handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
Antique gun parts are still available for many obsolete, out of production, and antique firearms. There are several gun parts supply companies that buy gun manufacturer's parts inventories when they discontinue a model, or close their business. These gun parts suppliers also buy antique guns, to strip them down and sell the used antique gun parts that are still in good condition.
There is enough interest in restoring antique hand guns and other antique firearms that after market manufacturers are producing new replacement gun parts for some of the most popular models. Most notable would be the more popular models from the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the Wild West Cowboy eras.
Gun parts are easier to find for some of the most popular hardware store variety of antique guns because there were so many sold, and just the opposite is true for finding antique gun parts for lesser known, rare, imported, or custom built antique firearms.
There have been times when I have ended up searching for and purchasing antique vintage "Parts Guns", guns that are missing some parts but still have the parts that I need, at internet auctions in order to find the parts needed for a repair order.
If an original or replacement antique part can not be found I may be able to make the necessary gun part on the digital precision machinery in my shop, or modify a newer model gun part to fit and work. This type of gun part making takes a considerable amount of time, so it is more expensive than purchasing original or replacement parts. This type of work will only be done on a materials plus labor basis, at a labor rate of $30.00 per hour, and $40.00 per hour for machine work and welding, billed in 15 minute increments.
Antique gun parts should only be installed by a gunsmith. The computer controlled precision that we take for granted today did not exist when these antique parts were made. Antique guns were originally assembled from parts that started out too large to fit their intended location on the gun. An experienced and highly skilled person would then hand fit the oversized pieces until they operated as intended. Because of this hand fitting no two guns were exactly alike. There are critical measurements and clearances that must be checked by a gunsmith before determining if an antique gun part will correctly and safely repair the antique firearm.
If you have an antique firearm in need of repair please contact Douglas E. Bates at,
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