Can we start a list like the one for ranges.
Locals prefered but anyone good should be put on the list:

TTI International or Yellow Tavern Custom Shoppe
804-798-8938.
Located in Glenn Allen, Va

I have used them. Expensive and a severe miscommunication between us will not allow me to go back till Hell freezes over but, the quality of their work was pretty good.

James Keefer Jr. (Jerry)
804-556-2844
Specializes in Smith and Wesson revolvers and Colt 1911's for precision target shooting.

No first hand experience with this gentelman but he came highly recommended.

Jerry Keefer is the most highly skilled gunsmith in central VA, and is experienced with many types of "tactical" firearms, he's also the armorer for Richmond PD.

Only negative is that he is usually swamped with work for his Dept. and also for the PPC circuit.

Hell will freeze over before I go back to Trapper.

Hey guys or gals, I would be interested in learning the specific reasons why you are dissatisfied with TTi and/or Trapper. Forewarned is forearmed as a consumer, so knowing why a deal went sour is important. It would be helpful to know what product or service was sought and what soured the deal and why a resolution was or was not met.

I've been using Larry Wright for most all my projects.  He works out of Potomac Arms in Alexandria, I think he also does some work for Gilberts.

Started using Larry after he fixed a malfunctioning tigger job the local APG guild gunsmith charged me over $200 for and never got right - charged me more money to not fix it a second time). Took Larry 30 minutes to fix - wasn't even going to charge me except I insisted.

Yea I have had lots of work done thee, and Jerry is a good friend of trappers. I think you guys had a bad experience. All the work I have had done has been perfect and on time.......

TTI:
My problem was not with Trapper, but a younger guy there, Andrew?
Anyway, as stated, it was a miscommunication that left a bitter taste in my mouth. I brought my .45 there to have some work done. We discussed what was to be done and estimated the cost roughly at $120-$150. (Notice I said ROUGHLY, I knew there was going to be some extra money tacked on because one item was left up in the air).  Not much to some but alot to me at the time. When I went back to get the gun and pulled out cash to pay, the price had gone up to $220 or so. I had brought $180 with me just in case, but never expected $220+. Between CC and cash I paid them and tried to reason with the young fellow that the price was not as agreed upon. This went nowhere, I was polite, firm and sure 100% about what we had discussed.  Trapper had done work for me before and the price he quoted me was the total paid!

I went home and wrote a polite letter to Trapper, voicing my opinion on the matter and asking for his input; I never heard from him.
I simply do not like liars. I was made to feel like a fool, my honesty and good character were dismissed, and I was blown off and felt ridiculed. I never received a response to my letter.
I do not like to pass up on a good gunsmith (wich Trapper seems to be), but I would rather send my business elswhere if at all possible.
My decision not to do any more business with Trapper of TTI had nothing to do with the quality of their work. It had to do with the way I was treated that day!

If you want to use TTI go ahead. I would NOT have listed them if I thought their work was of poor quality. If you are person that needs to know how much a project will cost before it is completed make that clear to them first! They charge a premium for their work and are busy enough to get it. Remeber that a rough estimate to them is just that, rough, very rough.

Hell, if somebody needs gunsmithin' on their FAL or if they want to talk about a refinish job on just about anything, I'll do it for a 6 pack and the cost of the Gunkote!

Quoted: Hell, if somebody needs gunsmithin' on their FAL or if they want to talk about a refinish job on just about anything, I'll do it for a 6 pack and the cost of the Gunkote!

sounds like a winner!!

i've never had a problem that my dremel could'nt fix.........yet.     although ihave learned to let somebody else do my cutting and crowning from now on.  

If you ever run into a smith names John Rice up in NOVA who used to work out of the Loading Bench in Annandale, run . Took him 2 YEARS+ to replace the sights and refinish the slide on my 1911

I used Bob Moates once.......get the hint!

Is it my imagination or are there more smiths NOT to goto then ones we should goto ?

There is a reason that there are more smiths NOT to go to then ones that are.  This is due to the lack of training/schools out there teaching gunsmithing.  If there was more than just a few gunsmithing schools you would not have dozens of home hobbysts trying to run a business.  With better access to training you would have more quailified professionals on the job.

On another note it seems as if all that TTI was errant in was not calling the owner back and stating that the work was going to be more than originally stated.

Quoted: On another note it seems as if all that TTI was errant in was not calling the owner back and stating that the work was going to be more than originally stated.

I was also embarrassed in front of other customers, called a liar,and told my business was not welcome nor needed there (by Andrew). This is what really got to me, but unless you were there to experience the manner in which our conversation went astry it is very difficult to describe.

On a happy note it has been brought to my attention that Andrew is no longer employed by TTI. It seems that I was not the only one to have had a piss poor experience with him.

I can vouch for cliffy109, he installed my Falcon trigger reduction kit on my DSA carbine.  Hellava nice guy.  I've shot it twice since the install the trigger is really nice now.  Thanks Steve!

I was wondering how that worked out for you.  Glad to hear.  Like I told you, some of those just will not work with reduced power springs.  The ones that do work, run like a Swiss watch though.  

I'm still waiting for either Red Star or FSE to come out with a 2 stage trigger.  Both have done it but have patent issues they are sorting through.  I'm particulary linterested in the FSE version.  Harold Shinn made an interesting satement about his several months ago and mentioned a disconnector.  The original FAL doesn't have a disconnector and that would solve some of the hammer following problems some have had.

I have a few fals that could use a paint job :-)

Quoted: Hell, if somebody needs gunsmithin' on their FAL or if they want to talk about a refinish job on just about anything, I'll do it for a 6 pack and the cost of the Gunkote!

Sorta on this topic.....

Who locally (NOVA) either knows a gunsmith who will rebarrel a AR cheap, or has the tools to do it themselves (including headspace) ?

AR built party in the future possibly ?

Tim Bacus at Gilberts in Springfield charged me $50 to change out my upper receiver on my Bushmaster when I got a flat top RRA upper for it.  I have a DPMS barrel wrench but nothing else to do it.

Ahh, it sounds like we may have an AR build party forming in the near future.
The FAL builds went so well, the AR's should be a breeze. We probably have all the tools spread out amongst us.

Quoted: I have a few fals that could use a paint job :-)

Bring it on!

An AR building party sounds Awesome!  If I could just talk the little woman into it I might just be able to host it at my place.  I am currently in the process of building one myself the only issue that I have is I need someone to cut a chamber for my barrel.

Give me a call or shoot me an email if you AR builders want to organize a group buy for AR15 stripped lowers.