Local Machinist Gun Smith

[DKirkland1212]

I looked around and asked several shooters. I decided to finally have a dovetail milled in my stainless 1911 slide. I dropped it off at Tactical Percision in Cresveiw. They were professional, polite and answered all my questions. I can't wait to have a Novack front sight installed in place of the GI front sight. In the past, I have had the magazine well bevelled and some trigger work. Not much was needed because the Springfield Armory GI comes with a match grade barrel and is a performer right out of the box. I'll follow up with how everything went with the machining the dovetail and the end product. Finding a gunsmith machine shop that is reliable is very difficult here I northwest Florida. I hope this helps anyone that is looking for this service. -TK Lead Firearms Instructor at Legal Weapon

 

[flgolfer29]

Post pics when you update

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[Plinker]

I’m interested also.
My A1 Norinco 1911 has a staked-in front sight and its loose.
Bought the staking tool from Brownells and staked in a new front sight.
Its loose now and would like dovetail milled in like your doing.
Pictures and comments appreciated.

 

[ammodave]

OK, I'll bite. What's the charge?

 

[Fanner50]

OK, I'll bite. What's the charge?

If you have to ask...

 

[ammodave]

Thanks for the helpful response. Now, back to my question. I have a Colt Series 70 that I would like to change sights on (requiring milling). I could ship the slide off to an online gunsmith but I'd prefer to patronize a local smith if the price is reasonable.

 

[Fanner50]

LOL, it got me to 1500 post.
To answer your question.......Rick Rankin owner of Gunsmith on Garden St. in Pensacola, formerly Lock & Gunsmith (he sold the locksmith part of the business) can do what you want done. He is semi-retired, only working four hours a day. Give him a call at 850-469-1790, or stop by and see him. I would call first for hours of operation. Rick is the best gunsmith in Pensacola and has done similar work on a 1911 of mine. I understand that there are good gunsmiths in Crestview also but I do not know their names or where they work. Sorry about the smart azzz answer above. I just couldn't help myself.

 

[BowChamp]

LOL, it got me to 1500 post.
To answer your question.......Rick Rankin owner of Gunsmith on Garden St. in Pensacola, formerly Lock & Gunsmith (he sold the locksmith part of the business) can do what you want done. He is semi-retired, only working four hours a day. Give him a call at 850-469-1790, or stop by and see him. I would call first for hours of operation. Rick is the best gunsmith in Pensacola and has done similar work on a 1911 of mine. I understand that there are good gunsmiths in Crestview also but I do not know their names or where they work. Sorry about the smart azzz answer above. I just couldn't help myself.

I laughed!!!
Kinda like buying a boat and asking "How Much" the dock fees are.

I too am in for results from Precision Tactical.

 

[SAWMAN]

I believe that Rick charges $60 per hour. He might have gone up lately.
I have had him do work for me in the past. I would reccomend him highly. --- SAWMAN

 

[Boogan1]

Give John Flemming a call in crestview. Retired AF machinist/welder, works on a lot of old colts and winchesters. His number is 850-797-9301.

 

[DKirkland1212]

In February I dropped my Springfield Armory off to have a dovetail milled into the slide of my 1911 G.I. at Precision Tactical. Since then, I have inspected it, shot it several times and had time to think things over. Here are my impressions.

First, A quoted "out the door" price should be honored. I gave the receipt for work and quoted price to the employee. After some time and three employees later, my pistol is brought to me. The price I was charged was not the price I was quoted, by a lot.

Second, I inspected my pistol and saw a clearly large gap between the front sight and the slide. The slide was not milled deep enough so the front sight sits "high" on the slide. The noticeable light visible from under the front sight was the clue. When viewed form the front, the front sight has a noticeable cant (tilt) to the side. I thought milling was a precision operation. It all depends on who is doing it, I guess.

A firearm is a personal choice. It's not just a machine that processes bullets. They are expensive endeavors. There is the cost of the gun, training, leather and so on. I expect great work quality to where it looks and operates like "Factory". I no longer have that pistol that I once had. My once family heirloom that I intended to pass down to the next generation is now just a lack luster half attempt to stick an aftermarket front sight in.

Never Again

 

[Boogan1]

I just had this very thing done to an auto ordnance 1911 that I am building to shoot SASS Wild Bunch competitions. I sent it to a gunsmith in Montana that does a lot of this for the SASS guys. I paid $200 for the front sight, milling the slide, sight installation and shipping my slide back to me. This also included a new rear sight and the installation of it. Work was completed perfectly. No daylight under the sight and it is square on the barrel.

 

[FrommerStop]

It sounds like anyone that advertises gunsmithing services that can not mill a front sight is a pretty poor example of that profession.
Alan at ole frontier on Hwy 29 should be able to that. He is is more a machinist and he does do industrial work. He is not cheap.
Always try see what equipment is in the back of the shop where the work is going to be done and ask how it will done.

 

[DKirkland1212]

I just had this very thing done to an auto ordnance 1911 that I am building to shoot SASS Wild Bunch competitions. I sent it to a gunsmith in Montana that does a lot of this for the SASS guys. I paid $200 for the front sight, milling the slide, sight installation and shipping my slide back to me. This also included a new rear sight and the installation of it. Work was completed perfectly. No daylight under the sight and it is square on the barrel.

Im glad you got the service you paid for. I took the advice of a co-worker that swore by them. It was a toss of the dice.

 

[DKirkland1212]

It sounds like anyone that advertises gunsmithing services that can not mill a front sight is a pretty poor example of that profession.
Alan at ole frontier on Hwy 29 should be able to that. He is is more a machinist and he does do industrial work. He is not cheap.
Always try see what equipment is in the back of the shop where the work is going to be done and ask how it will done.

You are correct about his work. I had him bevel the magazine well on my 1911. The job was professional. For what ever reason, he was unable to mill the front sight for me.

 

[FrommerStop]

You are correct about his work. I had him bevel the magazine well on my 1911. The job was professional. For what ever reason, he was unable to mill the front sight for me.

I have not been by there for a very long time and next time I will ask him why he could not mill a front sight dovetail.

 

[ammodave]

Thanks for the Precision Tactical review. I still need to get the slide milled on my Series 70 Colt but I won't be using Precision Tactical!

 

[boatbum101]

+3 on Rick Rankin . Been happy with every project he's done for me .