Brian Bilby was a well known pistol smith with a true love for the 10 mm from Michigan that passed on far too early.  Some of you here may remember him.  I never got to meet Brian myself, in the early 2000's I started taking a lot of pistol and carbine classes. Well the first class (Pat Rogers carbine course) I was just overwhelmed and could not hit the side of the barn with my handgun (first Glock and more or less first time shooting Glocks) anyway a total stranger came over and offered to let me shoot his spare 1911 and I said Noooo I dont like those carrying cocked just seems nuts to me (I was young) and the guy smiled and laughed and explained to me how safe they really were but I still said no. A couple drills later the frustration got to me I humbly ate crow and asked him to shoot it well lets just say I fell in love. Anyway I got to know him and a few other guys several who were personal friends with Brian. I was just getting into custom 1911's and was head over heels drunk in love with em! A friend called and had to sell his beloved Delta which Brian did up for him. Despite not being a 10 mm or Delta guy it was a custom by Brian Bilby who I had heard so much about and he built it for a close friend and I had to do it! A couple years later a friend stepped back from shooting so much, changed his carry gun from a 1911 and decided to give me a call and I purchased his .45 Pocket Rocket (I believe the only one in .45 he built). Take a class with a couple of the guys and an instructor wed all befriended and trained with offered me his Bilby which he carried as his duty gun for years, taught countless classes with etc. Anyway here are my three Bilby guns. I carried the Pocket Rocket for a year or so but I can't remember the last time I shot the others. I still cherish them for the friendships I have attached to them, knowing these guys were Brian's close friends and he built them for them means a lot to me.

Sorry for your loss-I was thinking about you recently, or more accurately how your dad and the Museum are doing?

We've never met, I only know of you thru my best friend that has had some business dealings with you, and another friend's wife used to frame pictures for your dad.

My dad passed away 4 years ago in Jan.
The Museum was doing very well and then COVID hit closing us for almost a year.
We are open again, its slow like most other businesses but hopefully things start improving.
You really should come out for a visit.

Hi there... this pic looks same as the 1911 forum... we should chat.... I have several of Brian’s guns ... sat in his basement Many times....shot with him (got stories on that alone) ... he shot my matches and I helped him with his state idpa match...... he lived just a little ways away.... even Mr Richard Heinie respected Brian on getting a little 10mm to run... and I have a little 10 of his!

H

Hello H. I too sat in that basement many times over the years and miss Brian and his mom. Those were some magical times, and he passed far too soon.

E...