Posted: 3/22/2005 8:09:49 AM EDT
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Does anyone know if Mr. Vickers is still actively gunsmithing. Does Mr. Vickers still maintain a website and, if so, could someone please provide the web address? As always, any and all input is appreciated. Thank you for your time. Respectfully, Justin |
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Not sure i f this is valid, but I found it in my contacts: [email protected] |
jvic, Thank you for your contribution as well. ----------------------------------------
IronSamVane, A seven year waiting list as of when? Thank you, Justin |
As of the first time i ever heard his name. I forgot to mention he posts over on tactical forums. |
IronSamVane, Does Mr. Vickers visit there [Tactical Forums] often? I have tried to become a member there on literally dozens of occasions only to be rejected every single time for one reason or another (i.e., the username is currently in use, etc...). Have you experienced these same difficulties? Thank you, Justin |
It has been a while since i have been there so i don't know how active he is there anymore. I never tried to join i was just a lurker. It shouldn't be too hard to browse around there and come up with something on him. |
In light of this [the above], I feel compelled to respond to AcidGambit's post:
AcidGambit, In all seriousness, can you please elaborate on the aforementioned "better gunsmiths?" Thank you, Justin |
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Sir, Mr. Vickers is indeed NOT accepting any new orders. He's had one of my 1911's for 3 years now, and will be one of the last guns he works on, per an e-mail sent to me last month. As far as qualified or "better" gunsmiths available, you can go to http://www.americanpistol.com/ . You can search for specialty or state. Another gunsmith you may consider is Ted Yost out of Arizona. His website is http://www.yost-bonitz.com/ . Or you can try http://www.1911forum.com/ or http://www.louderthanwords.us/ . Many exceptional gunsmiths post on the latter forum. Good luck in your search, hope that helped. Adrian |
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Tactical Forums is pretty much one giant circle jerk. It was setup primarily to allow the Moderators to pound their chests and display their pathetic little pee-pees. Believe me, you're better off somewhere else. |
Do you suffer from some form of mental deficiency? I was questioning no one's credentials. I was speaking of egos, an entirely different subject. I've seen them ban people over there for disagreeing with a moderator on issues that were clearly matters of opinion only. I'm tired of pissing contests, and I'm really getting tired of you. You don't appear to know what you're talking about half the time, despite 16K+ posts. So how about a little STFU? 
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Keep your day job if you had any thoughts of becoming a professional psychic. You're not very good at it. Never been a member over there, why would I want to associate with asswipes? I have visted the place a time or two and was personally put off by the moderators. It's a difficult concept to explain, but I think you will find the real pros have no time to preach to adoring fans on an internet site. Think about it. If you can.
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I already knew all that would happen. |
You may not agree with the policies there, but dismissing the entire enterprise as a "circle jerk" based on your disagreement with their code of conduct is ridiculous. There is a lot of solid experience and skill there, represented in many cases by the very moderators who you accuse of being there only to show off. Is the moderation there heavy-handed at times? Certainly. They don't have a GD forum because they don't want all the trouble that comes with it. Someone with thirty years experience in combat arms doesn't want to entertain yet another whinefest about 9mm vs .45. People who take their rifles to dangerous places to seek out dangerous people don't want to hear about Tacpoint scopes. Tac Forums was intended for those people, so the code of conduct --written and unwritten-- reflects that. |
So is there any chance this thread could be revived? If not, then I would like to thank all those who took the time to post a response, your efforts are greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Justin |
I am being serious... You want a list ? How long do you want to wait ? Jim Garthwaite is a great gunsmith, he built my carry pistol that has almost 15k rounds through it, never had a malfunction related to the pistol, and shoots 1.5" 10rd groups. The pistol is perfect. He just did another pistol for me, your looking at a 3-4mo wait with him. Chuck Rogers is another, I don't think he is taking on full custom jobs at this time. Minor work is about 1mo, full house 12-14mo Bob Rodgers builds good guns too, though I never checked out his barrel fitting, but have seen his work. I have had him refinish a gun, great guy. C.T. Brian is another, one year wait with him. I have seen Yosts work when he was at Gunsite and it was for shit. HOWEVER, I have been told that was because of the pressure and amount of work he was being forced to complete. I have heard good things about his current work. There are more, but it would go on forever. Check out the 1911 Forums (a seperate site) there is good information there. I don't want to bash Vickers, he does build a good combat pistol. However, they are way overpriced (but, that is what the market will bear, so good on him.) IMHO and the opinion of my friend who used to build match 1911's, his barrel fitting is less than great. For a fighting gun it's fine. Not fine on a $4000 pistol with a match barrel.... I paid a little more than 25% of that, so I'm not upset. My pistol shoots 2.6" groups out of a ransom rest, that is horrible for a handfitted match barrel. I've met him, he's a great guy. I can get 5 Kimber's for $4000 and they will shoot better too. BTW: The one gunsmith that I will, without a doubt, tell you to Stay Away from is Dave Lauck (D&L Sports Custom.) If you want a high dollar shooter with almost no wait, get a Les Baer (I like the Thunder Ranch Special) or a Rock River Arms (they used to work for Baer.) Those two companies can fucking build a 1911 bar none... My TRS shot .89" group out of a Ransom rest with Hydra-Shok's, it was amazing ! They are damn tight though and do take some breaking in. Roll with the Baer, you will be pleased. PM me if you want any more info, this thread is going downhill... Or better yet, check out the 1911 forums. |
When I said "In all seriousness" I was trying to convey to you that the forthcoming question was not meant to be sarcastic, cynical, duragatory, or anything of that matter. I apologize for the confusion but I tried to avoid it as best I could. One last question, who would you recomend for a combat pistol? And thank you for the comprehensive list, it is definately a keeper  .Justin |
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On the occasions that I have had to examine Vickers guns I could find no faults with them. They were all very nicely done and fit-up as one would expect a custom 1911 to be. In the custom 1911 world Vickers has become a household name due in part to his previous career... lots of guys want his guns just because of that. When I spoke to him at SHOT it was my impression he was no longer accepting work for a multitude of reasons. With that being the case I’ll second AcidGambit’s recommendation of Ted Yost, Tim Brian, Jim Garthwaite, and Chuck Rogers. All of those men will build you a top-flight 1911 in any form you want and to that list I would add Ned Christiansen, Richard Heinie, Mark Morris, Jim Hoag, just to name a few. If you’re willing to wait a while and spend BIG dollars on a custom 1911 a gun from any of those men would be hard to beat. |
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Here you go CitySlicker! One of the best from the State of Washington. www.morriscustompistols.com/ MT 
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Thanks MT ! It looks like some beautiful work.Justin |
+1 I would trust AJohnston! I'm sure this is a few others on this board that back him up |
Word!
I've been waiting for Hilton to open his "waiting list" for some time now myself and I don't know when he is going to start accepting names/orders. |
I second that for Bob Rodgers . I was browsing the 1911 Forums and came across him. He's done some great work on my Springfield Operator and that thing shoots 1.5 groups at 25yrds with the factory barrel, EGW bushing, and a nice deep target crown. My Operator is back with him for a full dehorn, frontstrap vertical serrations on the grip, EB beavertail/thumb safety and refinishing. I hope to get that gun back within the next 2 months. I can't recommend Bob enough..=) Yost-Bonitz has some really nice packages for the 1911. 3-4 to month turnaround on their 1* packages depending on work load and anything extra that you may want on top of what they offer. The shop regularly puts out a few 1* package 1911s out for sale for those who can't wait.... Stan Chen of Legacy Custom is a relatively new kid on the block with some VERY impressive work. Colt .38 Super project. Stan literally 'blueprints' the gun before working on it. Unfortunately, Mr. Chen isn't taking on any new projects at the moment because of his workload but definitely worth the wait in my book. Hilton Yam is another one of my favorites who builds very functional 1911s. No nonsense work and guns you can bet your life on. His pistolsmithing workload is very heavy also in addition to his regular duties in the law-enforcement sector. |
You arent kidding. Id give my left nut AND a kidney for a gun like this from Mark: 
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That is, by all means, a beautiful pistol but isn't it a little too ornate to be considered a combat pistol (I'm just asking here)? -Justin |
Not accepting new work, 7year list. He doesn't do it for a living, it's not his day job. I was only listing people he can get work from, I don't see the point in listing 'smiths who are not accepting pistols. Stan Chen is awsome, I wish you hadn't told everyone about him. |
Nah... I have a strong feeling the owner of that gun actually uses it.  Besides, what's the fun of custom 1911 if it doesn’t shoot and look like a million bucks. Get the gun to the point where it's everything you could ever want and then spend the rest of your life trying to wear it out... that’s what it's about. |
Who owns just one 1911? I HAVE 1911s that get carried and abused. I NEED a BBQ gun....its a Southwest thing Besides, Clint Smith cares an engraved Les Baer and abused it. "Its scratched already, they're just pretty scratches" |
I have a Gunsite Marksman from the end of the Yost era at Gunsite. The gun has never malfunctioned. It has only been shot with reloads. I also have three (3) guns that Ted worked on since going out on his own. First was a rebuild of a Kimber Compact. The second was a rework of a Browning HP. The third was a frame up Caspian build. All of the work done by Ted was outstanding. The guns are all reliable, accurate and good looking. I will send more work to Ted Yost in the future. Mike P.S. CitySlicker, If you are ever in NJ let me know. You can shoot some of Yost's work. I'm sure you'll be happy with it. |
I don't believe Mark Morris is accepting organs at this time. If you find out otherwise let me know. Who needs 2 kidneys...that's just being selfish.MT |